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From  a  Wtthr  Cohmr  Drawing  by  E.  A.  Rowe 

Traveller's  Joy  on  a  Gate  Pillar  at  Montacutk, 

Dioision  of  Ilorticuiture, 


THE    GARDEN 
WEEK    BY    WEEK 

THROUGHOUT    THE    YEAR 

A    PRACTICAL    HANDBOOK    TO    GARDENING 

OPERATIONS  FOR  EVERY  WEEK  IN  THE 

YEAR  AND   TO   THE  CULTURE  OF 

ALL   IMPORTANT  PLANTS 


WITH    NUMEROUS 

COLOURED   PLATES  AND   HALF-TONE    ENGRAVINGS 


ONE   HUNDRED   PRACTICAL   ILLUSTRATIONS 


WALTER  P"  WRIGHT 

HORTICULTURAL  SUPERINTENDENT  UNDER  THE  KENT  COUNTY  COUNCIL 
AUTHOR  OF  "popular  GARDEN  FLOWERS,"  "  THE  PERFECT  GARDEN,"  ETC. 


SECOND  EDITION 


S.  0.  Dep't  of  Ap;ric 


NEW   YORK 
DOUBLEDAY    PAGE    ^   COMPANY 

LONDON:    GRANT  RICHARDS   LTD. 


First  Edition     .     .     June  1909 
Second  Edition  .     .     February  191 1 


Printed  by  Ballantyne,  Hanson  &>  Co. 
At  the  Ballantyne  Press,  Edinburgh 


PREFACE 

A  BRIEF  calendar  of  gardening  operations  throughout 
the  year  has  formed  an  item  in  many  books  on  horti- 
culture ;  it  has  been  put  in  as  a  kind  of  summary. 

Readers  have  not  been  wanting  who  have  declared 
that  the  few  pages  at  the  end  of  such  volumes  are  the 
most  useful  parts  of  them,  and  that  many  more  pro- 
minent portions  are  negligible. 

This  suggests  that  a  book  which  is  wholly  calen- 
darial,  but  illustrated  with  practical  figures  as  well  as 
photographs  and  coloured  plates,  might  secure  a  good 
constituency ;  hence  the  preparation  of  the  present 
volume. 

It  does  not  contain  anything  whatever  about  Garden 
Art,  nor  about  the  general  principles  of  gardening. 
(I  have  dealt  with  them  in  its  predecessor  "The  Perfect 
Garden.")  It  is  composed  of  twelve  practical  chapters, 
subdivided  so  as  to  show  seasonable  work  for  every 
week  in  the  year.  Its  scheme  is  therefore  the  essence 
of  simplicity. 

The  reader  is  told  what  operations  to  perform,  and 
what  plants  to  grow  every  week.  Information  is  given 
in  detail,  but  each  section  is  summarised,  so  that  a 
glance  tells  what  to  do  at  any  given  period. 

Readers  in  the  north  will  find  that  they  must  work 
about  a  fortnight  later  than  those  in  the  south.  Thus, 
in  North  Britain,  the  operations  for  the  second  half  of 


PREFACE 

March  will  be  performed  in  the  first  fortnight  of  April, 
and  so  on. 

The  many  practical  illustrations,  though  plain,  will, 
it  is  hoped,  be  helpful. 

I  trust  that  the  book  may  be  found  an  appropriate 
companion  to  "The  Perfect  Garden." 

WALTER  P.  WRIGHT. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  The  Opening  Year  —  Seeds,  Selections  of 
Vegetables  and  Flowers— Asters — Sweet 
Peas — Weekly  Work  in  January       .        .         i 

II.  Many  Buds,  some  Bloom,  and  the  Early  Bird 

— Weekly  Work  in  February    ...       64 

III.  The  Dawn  of  Spring — Weekly  Work  in  March     109 

IV.  Late    Showers    and    Early    Flowers — Weekly 

Work  in  April 168 

V.  May  Morns — Weekly  Work  in  May  .         .198 

VI.  Rose  Time — Weekly  Work  in  June  .        .        .222 

VII.  The    Heart   of   the  Year — Weekly   Work   in 

July 271 

VIII.  The  Harvest  Month  in  the  Garden — Weekly 

Work  in  August 299 

IX.  In  Indian  Summers — Weekly  Work  in  September    325 

X.  A  New  Outlook — Weekly  Work  in  October  .     344 

XI.  Chrysanthemum     Time  —  Weekly     Work     in 

November 374 

XII.  The    Christmas    Garden  —  Weekly    Work    in 

December 391 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 


IN   COLOUR 

Traveller's  Joy  on  a  Gate  Pillar  at  Montacute,  Somerset- 
shire       Frontispiece 

Facing  A 

The  Private  Garden  at  Hampton  Court 44 

Flower  Beds  and  Borders  at  Campsea  Ashe,  Suffolk  ...  66 

Herbaceous  Borders,  with  Roses,  at  Harleyford  Manor,  Marlow  114 

The  West  Border,  Hatfield 230 

Herbaceous   Flowers   and   Clipped   Yews   round   the   Bowling 

Green  at  Berkeley  Castle,  Gloucestershire    ....  378 


IN    BLACK   AND   WHITE 

The  Crown  Anemone  (Coronaria),  a  plant  of  many  beautiful 
colours.  The  St.  Brigid  and  Alderborough  are  splendid 
strains  of  it 18 

The  Star  Cineraria  (Stellata),  a   free-flowering  section,   very 

brilliant  in  colour,  and  useful  for  winter  bloom     ...       24 

The  charming  dwarf  Lobelia  Kathleen  Mallard,  deep  blue  in 

colour,  and  full  double 26 

Marie  Louise,  one  of  the  best-flavoured  of  all  Pears,  but  not 
hardy  enough  for  the  open,  and  should  therefore  be  grown 
on  a  wall 38 

The  Japanese  Pink,  Dianthus  Heddewigii,  grown  as  an  annual 

from  seed  sown  the  same  year 70 

Worcester  Pearmain,  a  valuable  early  dessert  Apple ;  the  tree 
is  a  healthy  grower,  and  a  prolific  bearer.    It  is  an  excellent 
sort  for  a  small  garden,  to  precede  Cox's  Orange  Pippin      .      80 
ix  b 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 

Facing  p. 

Coe's  Golden  Drop,  one  of  the  best  of  late  dessert  Plums  ;  it 

will  thrive  on  a  wall  facing  east 82 

The  Rose  Campion,  Agrostemma  coronaria         .         .         .         .112 

A  pretty  and  free-flowering  half-hardy  annual  for  greenhouse  or 

garden — Nemesia  strumosa  Suttoni      .         .         .         .         .120 

The  popular  room  Fern  Asplenium  bulbiferum.     This  graceful 

Fern  bears  young  plants  on  its  fronds 134 

The  well-known  forcing  Strawberry  Auguste  Nicaise.         .         .136 

One  of  the  best  of  rock;plants — Saxifraga  Hypnoides.  It  covers 
a  considerable  area  of  rockwork  with  foliage  quickly,  and 
blooms  profusely 148 

The  perennial  Candytuft,  Iberis  sempervirens,  a  good  and  inex- 
pensive plant  for  rockery  work.  It  covers  a  considerable 
area  quickly,  and  looks  charming  on  the  face  of  a  large 
stone 150 

Single  annual  Chrysanthemums  from  seed  sown  out  of  doors 

in  spring 174 

White  scented  Poppies 174 

The  variegated  aloe-leaved  Yucca  (Yucca  aloefolia  variegata) 

as  a  room  plant 190 

The  pretty  greenhouse  Primula,  Obconica,  a  very  useful  plant, 
but  one  which  sometimes  causes  sores  on  the  skin  of  those 
who  handle  it  ungloved 202 

The  pretty  white  Harebell,  Campanula  rotundifolia  alba    .        .     234 

The  beautiful  spotted  Gum  Cistus,  Cistus  cyprius  or  ladaniferus 

maculatus,  a  charming  shrub  for  dry  rockeries     .         .         .     236 

The   purple    Mullein,    Verbascum    Phoeniceum,   a   handsome 

border  plant 254 

The  double  white  Arabis,  a  fine  dwarf  plant  for  the  border  or 
rockery,  and  almost  as  good  as  Lily  of  the  Valley  for 
cutting 288 

Early  white  Roman  Hyacinths  grown  in  an  ornamental  vase 

containing  peat-moss  litter  ;  no  soil  is  used  .         .         .     292 

The  sweetest  of  all  winter-flowering  bulbs,  Freesia  refracta  alba     302 

A  pot  of  "  Butterfly  Flowers  "  (Schizanthus),  a  splendid  green- 
house plant,  both  for  spring  and  autumn  bloom    .         .         .     306 
Double  Trumpet  Daffodils,  or  Lent  Lilies,  in  a  border  under 

a  wall 316 

Winter  cheerfulness  in  the  bare  border — a  colony   of  yellow 

Crocuses 358 

X 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 

Facing  p. 

A  colony  of  Snowdrops  on  a  winter  day 364 

The  Summer  Snowflake,  Leucojum  aestivum,  a  charming  bulb 

to  plant  in  autumn 366 

A  clump  of  white  Tulips 368 

The  handsome  hardy  border  plant  Stenactis  speciosa  .         .  376 

A  fine  bush  of  the  popular  Lilac  Charles  X.,  a  variety  which  is 

often  forced  for  early  bloom 380 

The  Mezereon  (Daphne  Mezereum),  a  deliciously  scented  shrub 

that  flowers  in  winter  (see  page  380) 396 

For  the  practical  illustrations  see  the  General  Index 
at  the  end  of  the  volume 


CHAPTER  I 

THE   OPENING   YEAR 

When  does  the  garden  year  begin  ?     The  enthusiast     Jan. 
would  declare  that  it  has  no  beginning  and  no  ending. 

But  whatever  may  be  the  case  with  the  garden  itself, 
it  is  certain  that  a  book  about  gardens  must  have  some 
point  of  departure. 

January  is  chosen  from  a  sense  of  custom  rather  than 
from  a  conviction  that  it  is  the  month  of  months  for 
gardeners — that  in  January  most  people  who  practise 
gardening  during  part  of  the  year  make  their  annual 
start.  I  do  not  think  that  they  begin  in  January  as  a 
rule.  People  who  pursue  gardening  in  one  well-marked 
period  probably  work,  roughly,  from  mid-March  to 
September  inclusive.  If  gardening  is  discontinued  at  all 
it  is  given  up  when  the  long  nights  and  cold  weather  of 
October  come.  And  if  it  is  darkness  and  cold  which 
induce  amateurs  to  suspend  operations,  these  discom- 
forts are  likely  to  retain  their  influence  until  the  end  of 
February  at  least. 

Many  people  specialise  particular  plants,  or  classes  of 
plants,  in  these  days,  however,  and  so  are  led  on  from 
season  to  season.  Perhaps  they  are  Daffodil  or  Tulip 
lovers,  in  which  case  they  pot  and  plant  in  Autumn  for 
the  Spring  display.  Possibly  they  are  Chrysanthemum 
enthusiasts,  and  if  so  the  delights  of  their  gardening  year 
will  not  culminate  until  November.    If  they  are  rosarians 

A 

nOPERTY  UBRABT 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 
Jan.      they  will  probably  be  gathering  flowers  in  October  (the 
Rose  is  very  nearly  an  all-the-year-round  plant   nowa- 
days), and  certainly  they  will  be  planting  in  November. 

Mainly  about  Seeds 

January  is  rarely  an  active  month  in  the  garden.  It 
is  a  month  of  preparation  rather  than  of  active  work.  It 
is  the  great  seed-buying  month.  The  last  batch  of  New 
Year  Cards  has  hardly  finished  fluttering  through  the 
door  than  the  heavy  thud  of  the  catalogues  begins.  The 
minor  writer  quivers  at  the  thumps  in  the  letter-box  ; 
they  so  often  mean  returned  manuscripts.  But  the 
garden-lover  rejoices  in  them.  He  pores  over  the 
descriptions  of  new  plants.  He  gloats  over  the  beautiful 
pictures. 

Old  garden  stagers  never  delay  despatching  their 
seed  order  until  the  Spring.  They  have  learned  from 
experience  that  they  are  never  quite  safe  unless  they  get 
the  seed  early  and  keep  it  by  them.  Weather  vagaries 
have  to  be  reckoned  with.  If  amateurs  sometimes  have 
to  lag  behind  the  calendar  they  can  sometimes  anticipate 
it.     Let  me  give  an  illustration. 

I  am  presently  going  to  say  that  a  person  who  has  a 
warm,  sheltered  place  in  the  garden  may  sow  green  Peas 
in  the  latter  half  of  February.  That  is  quite  the  orthodox 
thing.  But  if  there  is  snow  on  the  ground  he  will  not 
act  until  it  has  gone,  and  that  may  mean  sowing  in 
March.  Supposing  that  at  the  end  of  January  the 
weather  is  mild,  and  the  soil  dry  enough  to  crumble 
freely,  is  there  any  serious  objection  to  anticipating  the 
calendar  by  a  whole  month  ?  There  is  not.  If  the 
favourable  conditions  for  sowing  come,  and  the  grower 
has  the  seed  by  him,  let  him  take  the  risk  with  a  light 

2 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 

heart.     The   seed   may   lie   dormant   for   some  time  if     Jan. 
the   weather   should   turn    cold,  but   it  is  not  likely  to 
perish. 

Here,  then,  is  one  advantage  of  buying  seeds  in 
January  ;  they  are  always  ready  when  wanted.  Another 
is  that  there  is  rarely  the  disappointment  of  finding  that 
something  which  was  particularly  wanted  has  been  sold 
out.  In  the  case  of  novelties,  which  are  always  in  great 
demand,  this  may  easily  happen  in  February,  still  more 
easily  in  March. 

Those  leisurely  garden-lovers  who  rouse  themselves 
from  their  winter  sleep  in  March,  and,  tearing  off  the 
wrapper  of  a  catalogue,  begin  to  make  selections  of 
Sweet  Peas,  are  sometimes  brought  up  with  a  round 
turn  at  finding  that  the  most  admired  variety  on  the 
coloured  plate  is  not  procurable.  Early  buyers  have 
gobbled  it  up  to  the  last  seed. 

Amateur  gardeners  rejoice  in  a  batch  of  catalogues  as 
a  bibliophile  revels  in  the  crowded  shelves  of  a  book- 
shop. How  enticing  are  the  descriptions  !  How  ravish- 
ing are  the  illustrations  I  Perhaps  a  little  perplexity 
creeps  in  when  one  reads  of  a  dozen  varieties  of  Kidney 
Beans,  all  of  which  have  marvellous  cropping  powers, 
huge  pods,  and  delicious  flavour.  One  wants  them  all, 
yet  has  room  only  for  two.  Or  one  has  heard  what  a 
beautiful  annual  the  Godetia  is,  and,  little  recking  that 
there  are  many  varieties,  is  a  little  bewildered  when,  on 
turning  to  the  page,  one  finds  that  a  choice  has  to  be 
made  from  among  fifteen  to  twenty  sorts.  But  the  writer 
of  gardening  books  will  not  deplore  the  fecundity  of 
seed-raisers,  because  it  drives  the  buyer  to  consult  his 
pages.  And  the  odds  are  that  the  novice  himself  will 
find  a  fearful  and  secret  joy  in  getting  himself  enmeshed 
in  a  mass  of  plant  names. 

3 


THE   GARDEN    WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Jan.  During  the  progress  of  my  chapters  from  January  to 

December  I  shall  have  occasion  to  refer  to  a  good  many 
varieties  of  flowers,  fruits,  and  vegetables,  many  of  which 
are  raised  from  seeds.  Let  me  save  repetition  later  on 
by  offering  some  practical  suggestions  about  seed-buying 
at  the  outset. 

How  to  get  Catalogues. — Is  the  reader  a  beginner  in 
gardening  ?  Is  he  ignorant  of  the  names  of  seedsmen  ? 
Is  he  one  of  those  unhappy  beings  who  own  no  member- 
ship of  gardening  societies  ?  The  way  to  invite  a  cataract 
of  catalogues  is  to  join  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society, 
or  some  other  prominent  horticultural  body.  What 
happens  is  this  :  The  Secretary  prints  your  name  and 
address  in  his  list  of  members  (members  are  "Fellows" 
in  the  case  of  the  Royal  Horticultural  Society,  you  can 
become  a  Fellow  for  one  guinea),  and  a  horde  of  enter- 
prising seedsmen  extract  them  and  post  you  lists.  If, 
however,  you  have  no  membership  or  fellowship,  and 
catalogues  do  not  pour  in  spontaneously,  there  is  a 
simple  way  of  getting  them.  It  is  to  buy  a  gardening 
paper  the  next  time  that  you  are  at  a  railway  bookstall, 
or  in  a  newspaper  shop,  and  send  postcards  to  some  of 
the  advertisers. 

The  Price  of  Seeds. — The  catalogues  come.  Some  of 
them  are  small  octavo  publications,  with  a  few  illus- 
trations. Others  are  thick  quarto  volumes  of  several 
hundred  pages,  with  numerous  photographic  figures,  and 
possibly  some  coloured  plates  also.  There  is  more 
of  interest  in  the  richly  illustrated  quarto  than  in  the 
plain  octavo,  and  possibly  the  latter  is  put  aside  in  the 
first  place,  only  to  be  turned  to  again  if  it  is  found  that 
the  order  made  up  from  the  larger  volume  has  run  into 
several  pounds  more  than  it  was  expected  to  do.  Can  a 
buyer  safely  turn  to  a  small  dealer  for  his  garden  seeds  ? 
4 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 

Can  he  economise  in  seeds  without  running  serious  risk  Jan. 
of  his  garden  becoming  a  wilderness  of  noxious  weeds  ? 
The  answer  to  these  questions  is  :  Yes,  provided  he  is 
satisfied  with  standard  varieties  of  the  different  kinds  of 
vegetables  and  flowers.  There  are  certain  sorts  of  Peas, 
Beans,  Lettuces,  Sweet  Peas,  annual  Phloxes,  Asters, 
Stocks,  and  so  forth  which  are  in  such  constant  demand 
that  it  pays  wholesale  dealers  to  grow  them  largely  and 
sell  them  cheaply  to  retail  seedsmen.  Even  small  pro- 
vincial representatives  of  the  latter  class  can  be  relied 
upon,  as  a  general  rule,  to  supply  seeds  of  standard  sorts 
true  to  type,  fresh,  and  of  good  germinating  power. 

The  large  seed  houses,  whose  trial  grounds  are  seen, 
radiant  with  bloom,  from  the  railway  carriages  on  many 
lines,  and  whose  catalogues  are  almost  worthy  of  being 
described  as  works  of  art,  have  specialities  of  their  own, 
often  superior  to  the  standard  sorts.  These  cannot  be 
bought  at  low  prices. 

How  to  Select  Seeds. — That  happy  being  who  is 
sufficiently  well  off  to  be  able  to  select  any  kind  of 
plants  that  he  wants  may  choose  from  the  specialities  of 
the  best  seed  houses  with  the  certainty  of  getting  grati- 
fying results,  but  those  whose  means  are  limited,  and 
who  are  compelled  to  buy  cheaply,  will  be  well  advised  to 
order  standard  sorts.  Of  course,  the  big  seedsmen  will 
supply  these  as  well  as  the  little  one,  and  though  his 
prices  will  be  higher,  they  will  probably  be  lower  than 
for  his  own  specialities. 

I  cannot  but  think  that  there  are  many  beginners  in 
gardening  who  find  a  serious  initial  difficulty  in  choosing 
seeds,  and  I  have  therefore  begun  by  preparing  a  few 
tables,  with  a  view  to  assisting  in  the  task  of  making  out 
a  seed  order. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   Vv^EEK 


Jan.      Standard  Varieties  of  the  Principal  Vegetables 


Kind. 

Variety. 

Artichoke 

.     Large  Green  Globe 

>j 

.     Jerusalem  (tuberous) 

Asparagus 

.     Connover's  Colossal 

Beans,  Broad  . 

.     Early  Longpod,  Taylor's  Broad 

Windsor 

„        Dwarf  French      .     Canadian  Wonder 

„        Runner 

.     Scarlet 

Beetroot  . 

.     Dell's  Crimson 

Borecole  . 

.     Dwarf  Green  Curled 

Broccoli  . 

.     Leamington,  Purple  Sprouting 

Brussels  Sprouts 

.     Aigburth 

Cabbage  . 

.     Ellam's  Early 

Carrots    . 

.     Early  Horn,  James's  Intennediate 

Cauliflower 

.     Early  London,  Autumn  Giant 

Celery       . 

.     Standard  Bearer  (red) 

Cucumber 

.     Improved  Telegraph 

Endive 

.     Batavian 

Leek 

.     Musselburgh 

Lettuce    . 

.     Superb  Cos,  Continuity 

Onion 

.     James's  Keeping,  Ailsa  Craig 

Parsley     . 

.     Curled 

Parsnip     . 

.     Hollow  Crown 

Pea  .        .        . 

.     Gradus,  Duke  of  Albany,  Autocrat 

Potato 

.     Duke  of  York,  Sharpe's  Express, 

Up-to-date 

Radish      . 

.     Turnip,  French  Breakfast 

Rhubarb  . 

.     Victoria 

Savoy 

.     Drumhead 

Seakale    . 

.     Ordinary 

Spinach    . 

.     Round,  Prickly 

Tomato    . 

.     Sunrise,  Supreme 

Turnip 

.     Early  Milan,  Snowball,  Red  Globe 

Vegetable  Marrow 

.     Long  White 

Every  variety  named  above  is  absolutely  reliable,  pro- 
vided the  seed  is  sound,  and  very  little  old  or  untried 
seed  is  sold  in  these  days. 

Having  disposed  of  the  varieties,  let  me  proceed  to 
offer  suggestions  as  to  the  quantities.  These  must  turn 
upon  the  size  of  the  garden,  the  number  in  the  family, 
and  the  character  of  the  establishment ;  and  I  will  give 
lists  for  various  classes. 

6 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 

Vegetables  for  Small  Town  Gardens 

Vegetables  are  rarely  grown  in  small  town  gardens, 
partly  because  space  is  very  limited,  partly  because 
supplies  are  brought  to  the  door  by  greengrocers. 
Practically  only  Scarlet  Runners  are  grown,  and  gener- 
ally seed  of  this  popular  old  vegetable  is  put  in  with  as 
keen  an  eye  to  the  brightness  of  the  flowers  as  to  the 
tenderness  of  the  pods.  The  plants  are  grown  to  cover 
a  fence  or  an  arbour.  Half-a-pint  of  seed  will  suffice, 
and  it  may  be  sown  in  May. 


Jan. 


Vegetables  for  Suburban  Gardens 

Suburban  houses  are  well  catered  for  by  green- 
grocers, and  as  the  space  available  for  gardening  is  but 
little,  as  a  rule,  the  greater  part  of  it  is  generally  devoted 
to  flowers.  Suburban  gardeners  should  devote  whatever 
space  they  can  spare  to  vegetables  to  comparative 
delicacies,  such  as  Beans,  Peas,  early  Potatoes,  Tomatoes, 
Lettuces,  and  Radishes.  They  should  not  give  it  up  to 
coarse  things  like  Greens,  which  smell  abominably  in 
wet  weather,  and  are  a  nuisance  to  everybody.  The 
following  would  make  a  good  selection  for  a  small 
suburban  garden  : — 


Kind. 

Variety. 

Quantity. 

Beans,  Dwarf  French     . 

Canadian  Wonder 

2  pi"t 

„      Runner 

Scarlet 

2  P^"t 

Carrot 

Early  Horn 

2  OZ. 

Lettuce    . 

Superb  Cos 

I  packet 

Pea. 

Gradus 
Autocrat 

ipint 
ipint 

Radish     . 

French  Breakfast 

I  oz. 

Potato     . 

Sharpe's  Express 

*peck 

THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Jan.  This  collection  need  not  cost  more  than  half-a-crown 

or  three  shillings,  but  the  exact  cost  will  depend  on  the 
class  of  seedsman. 


Vegetables  for  Villa  Gardens 

The  gardens  of  country  and  suburban  villas  are  gene- 
rally large  enough  to  accommodate  a  good  selection  of 
vegetables,  and  if  a  part  of  the  kitchen  garden  is  at  some 
little  distance  from  the  house  there  need  be  no  hesitation 
in  including  Greens,  which  are  very  useful  in  autumn, 
winter,  and  spring.  The  following  would  be  a  good 
selection,  and  the  quantities  given  will  suffice  for  a 
garden  not  exceeding  half  an  acre  in  extent : — 


Kind. 


Variety. 


Quantity. 


^Asparagus 

Beans,  Broad  . 
„  French 
„        Runner 

Beetroot . 

Borecole . 

Broccoli  . 

Brussels  Sprouts 

Cabbage  . 

Cauliflower 

Carrot 

Celery 

Cucumber 

Endive     . 

Leek 

Lettuce    . 


Mustard  and  Cress 
Onion 
Parsley    . 
Parsnip    . 
Pea  . 


Longpod 

Canadian  Wonder 

Scarlet 

Dell's  Crimson 

Dwarf  Green  Curled 

Leamington 

Aigburth 

Eliam's  Early 

Autumn  Giant 

Early  Horn 

Standard  Bearer 

Telegraph 

Batavian 

Musselburgh 

Superb  Cos 

Continuity 


James's  Keeping 
Curled 

Hollow  Crown 
Gradus 
Autocrat 


I  pmt 

i  pint 

I  pint 

ioz. 

|oz. 

I  packet 

^oz. 

ioz. 

I  packet 

^oz. 

I  packet 

I  packet 

I  packet 

I  packet 

I  packet 

I  packet 

4  oz.  of  each 

}.  oz. 

I  packet 

a  oz. 

I  pint 

I  pint 


THE   OPENING    YEAR 


Kind. 

Variety. 

Quantity. 

Potato 

Sharpe's  Express 

I  peck 

„ 

Up-to-date 

I  peck 

Radish 

French  Breakfast 

I  oz. 

Turnip 

I  oz. 

*Rhubarb 

Victoria 

Savoy 

Drumhead 

Joz. 

*Seakale 

Spinach 

Round 

2  OZ. 

Tomato 

Sunrise 

I  packet 

Turnip 

Early  Milan 
Red  Globe 

I  oz. 
I  oz. 

Vegetable  Mai 

-row 

Long  White 

I  packet 

Jan. 


For  gardens  exceeding  half  an  acre  in  area  an  in- 
crease can  be  made  either  in  the  quantities  or  in  the 
number  of  varieties.  Thus,  for  a  fairly  large  kitchen 
garden  the  quantities  of  seed  suggested  above  might  be 
doubled,  but  it  would  be  better  to  increase  the  number 
of  varieties  in  some  cases,  notably  Cauliflowers,  Celery, 
Onions,  Peas,  and  Potatoes,  because  not  only  is  more 
produce  thereby  secured,  but  it  can  be  had  in  succession 
over  a  longer  period.  Special  provision  should  always 
be  made  for  a  long  supply  of  Green  Peas,  if  space 
permits  of  several  rows  being  sown,  as  the  vegetable  is 
so  delicious.  The  time  and  method  of  sowing  will  be 
dealt  with  later. 


*  Asparagus,  Rhubarb,  and  Seakale  will  not  be  ready  for  use  from  seed  in 
less  than  three  years,  and  on  this  account  many  people  prefer  to  buy  roots. 
They  can  be  ordered  with  the  seeds  in  January.  Particulars  of  planting  and 
cultivation  will  be  given  in  due  course.  Two  dozen  roots  of  Asparagus  and 
Seakale  will  be  required  to  make  anything  like  a  bed.  Six  roots  of  Rhubarb 
will  suffice  for  most  villa  gardens. 

The  cost  of  the  above  seeds  need  not  exceed  half  a  guinea,  but,  as  before 
said,  much  depends  upon  the  class  of  seedsman. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Jan.         Standard  Varieties  of  the  Principal  Flowers 
RAISED  from  Seed 

Although  the  greater  number  of  the  most  important 
vegetables  are  raised  from  seed,  this  is  not  the  case  with 
flowers.  Roses  are  generally  propagated  by  budding, 
Carnations  by  layering.  Dahlias  by  cuttings,  and  her- 
baceous plants  by  division — all  in  the  several  manners  to 
be  described  in  later  pages.  But  a  good  many  useful 
and  popular  plants  are  raised  from  seed,  and  these  can 
be  ordered  at  the  same  time  as  the  vegetables. 

I  shall  have  occasion  to  refer  to  all  of  the  following 
in  the  subsequent  pages,  and  I  therefore  recommend 
that  seed  of  them  be  ordered  in  January. 

Except  in  the  case  of  large  gardens,  packets  will 
suffice  in  nearly  every  case.  A  packet  of  hardy  flower 
seeds  always  contains  enough  seed  to  sow  a  good  row  or 
several  clumps.  More  may  be  wanted  of  a  few  special 
things,  such  as  mixed  Sweet  Peas,  Mignonette,  and 
Nasturtiums ;  in  these  cases  ounces  or  half-ounces  may 
be  ordered. 

As  with  vegetables,  the  price  of  the  packet  varies 
with  the  standing  of  the  seedsman.  Dealers  of  the 
highest  class  do  not,  as  a  rule,  offer  seed  of  even  the 
cheapest  hardy  annuals  at  less  than  threepence  per 
packet,  but  the  same  quantities  can  be  bought  from 
others  for  a  penny. 

There  are  not  wanting  bold  and  enterprising  seeds- 
men who  will  sell  you  any  kind  of  flower  seed  for  a 
penny,  even  such  things  as  Primulas,  Begonias,  and 
Cyclamens,  which  are  generally  sold  at  eighteenpence 
and  half-a-crown  a  packet.  The  number  of  seeds  in 
these  very  cheap  packets  is,  of  course,  small,  but  it  is 
sound  enough,  as  a  rule. 

JP 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 


Flower  Garden  Plants 

My  first  table  shall  be  flower  garden  plants.  All 
those  named  are  worth  growing.  The  annuals  are 
hardy  unless  marked  half  (J)  hardy. 


Jan. 


Kind. 

Species  or  Variety. 

Class, 

Colour. 

Ageratum  .     . 

Imperial  Dwarf 

1 -hardy  annual 

Blue 

Alyssum     .     . 

Maritimum 

'Annual 

White  (sweet) 

» 

Saxatile  com- 
pactum 

Perennial 

Yellow 

Amaranthus    . 

Melancholicus 

ruber 
Italica  Dropmore 

J-hardy  annual 

Red  foliage 

Anchusa     .     . 

Perennial 

Blue 

variety 

Antirrhinum 

Mixed 

Perennial 

Various 

(Snapdragon) 

Aquilegia 

Mixed 

Perennial 

Various 

(Columbine) 

Arabis    .     .     . 

Alpina 

Perennial 

White 

Arctotis .     .     . 

Grandis 

1-hardy  annual 

Mauve  &  yellow 

Argemone  .     . 

Mexicana 

Annual 

Yellow  (sweet) 

Aster,  China   . 

See  special  notes 

i-hardy  annual 

Various 

Aubrietia    .     . 

Purpurea 

Perennial 

Purple 

Bartonia     .     . 

Aurea 

Annual 

Yellow 

Begonia      .     . 

Tuberous  section 

Perennial 

Various 

Calandrinia     . 

Umbellata 

Perennial 

Crimson 

CalHopsis    .     . 

Drummondi 

Annual 

Orange 

Campanula 

Attica 

Annual 

Violet 

" 

Medium  caly- 
canthema 

Biennial 

Blue  or  white 

Canary 

Tropaeolum 

^hardy  annual 

Yellow 

Creeper  .     . 

canariense 

Candytuft   .     . 

Carmine 

Annual 

Carmine 

j>          ' 

Crimson 

Annual 

Crimson 

White 

Annual 

White 

Canterbury 

Blue,  rose  or  white 

Biennial 

Blue,  rose, 

Bell 

white 

Carnation    .     . 

Mixed 

Perennial 

Various 

Chrysanthe- 

Burridgeanum 

Annual 

Brown  &  lilac 

mum 

•     • 

Double  annual 

Annual 

White&  yellow 

THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY    WEEK 


Kind. 

Species  or  Variety. 

Class. 

Colour. 

Chrysanthe- 

Morning Star 

Annual 

Primrose 

mum 

>) 

King  Edward  VI I. 

Perennial 

White 

Clarkia  .     .     . 

Elegans 

Annual 

Pink 

„       ... 

Marginata 

Annual 

Rose  &  white 

Cobaea  .     .     . 

Scandens 

Perennial 

Purple 

Collinsia     .     . 

Bicolor 

Annual 

Blue  &  white 

Columbine .     . 

Mixed 

Perennial 

Various 

Convolvulus    . 

Splendens 

Annual 

Blue 

V 

Climbing 

Annual 

Various 

Coreopsis    .     . 

See  Calliopsis 

Cornflower 

Blue 

Annual 

Blue 

(Centaurea)  . 

Cosmos  or 

Mixed 

Annual 

Various 

Cosmea 

Delphinium     . 

Mixed 

Perennial 

Various 

Dianthus 

Chinensis  mixed 

Biennial 

Various 

(Indian  Pink) 

>) 

Heddewigii 

Biennial 

Various 

Digitalis  (Fox- 

Mixed 

Perennial 

Various 

glove) 

Erysimum  .     . 

Peroffskianum 

Annual 

Orange 

Eschscholtzia  . 

Crocea 

Annual 

Orange 

)» 

Rose  Cardinal 

Annual 

Rose 

Evening  Prim- 

Biennis 

Perennial 

Yellow 

rose     (Oeno- 

thera) 

Forget-me-not 

Myosotis  dissiti- 
flora 

Perennial 

Blue 

Foxglove     .     . 

Mixed 

Biennial 

Various 

Gaillardia    .     . 

Picta  Lorenziana 

Perennial 

Orange,  red, 
yellow 

Gilia  .... 

Tricolor 

Annual 

Purple 

.    .     .     . 

Tricolor  alba 

Annual 

White 

„     .     .     .     . 

Coronopifolia 

Biennial 

Scariet 

Godetia  .     .    . 

Dwarf  Pink 

Annual 

Pink 

>j       ... 

Lady  Albemarle 

Annual 

Crimson 

Golden 

Pyrethrum  aureum 

Perennial 

Yellow 

Feather 

Gypsophila 

Paniculata 

Perennial 

White 

Helianthus.     . 

See  Sunflower 

Helichrysum 

Mixed 

Annual 

Various 

(Everlasting) 

Hollyhock  .     . 

Mixed 

Perennial 

Various 

Honesty      .     . 

Rose 

Perennial 

White  pods 

THE   OPENING   YEAR 


Kind. 

Species  or  Variety. 

Class. 

Colour. 

Iberis      .     .     . 

Sempervirens 

Perennial 

White 

Indian  Pink     . 

Mixed 

Biennial 

Various 

Incarvillea  .     . 

Delavayi 

Perennial 

Rose 

Jacobaea     .     . 

Mixed 

Annual 

Various 

Kochia   .     .     . 

Trichophila 

Annual 

Pretty  foliage 

Larkspur     .     . 

Mixed 

Annual 

Various 

Lathyrus    lati- 

Everlasting  Pea 

Perennial 

Red 

folius 

Linaria  .     .     . 

Mixed 

Annual 

Various 

Lavatera     .     . 

Rosea 

Annual 

Rose 

Leptosiphon    . 

Mixed  Hybrids 

Annual 

Various 

Limnanthes     . 

Douglasii 

Annual 

Yellow  &  white 

Linum     .     .     . 

Rubrum 

Annual 

Scarlet 

Lobelia  .     .     . 

Speciosa 

Perennial 

Blue 

Love-in-a-mist 

Nigella  Damascena 

Annual 

Blue 

Love-lies- 

Amaranthus  cau- 

.}-hardy  annual 

Red 

bleeding   .     . 

datus 

Lupins,  annual 

Blue,  rose,white,  &c. 

Annual 

Different 

Lupinus  .     .     . 

Nanus 

Annual 

Blue 

Lychnis  .     .     . 

Chalcedonica 

Perennial 

Scarlet 

Malope 

Grandiflora 

Annual 

Rose 

(Mallow) 

Marigold    .     . 

African 

i-hardy  annual 

Yellow,  orange 

» 

French 

i-hardy  annual 

Striped 

Marvel  of  Peru 

Mixed 

Perennial 

Various 

Matthiola    .     . 

Bicornis 

Annual 

Lilac  (sweet) 

Matricaria  .     . 

Eximia 

Perennial 

Double  white& 
double  yellow 

Mignonette 

Ordinary 

Annual 

Buff 

. 

Machet 

Annual 

Red 

Mimulus(Mon- 

Mixed 

^-hardy  annual 

Various 

key  Flower) 

Myosotis     .     . 

See  Forget-me-not 

Nasturtium 

Tom  Thumb 

Annual 

Scarlet,  rose 
white,  &c. 

» 

Tall  mixed 

Annual 

Various 

Nemesia     .     . 

Mixed 

i-hardy  annual 

Various 

Nemophila .     . 

Insignis 

Annual 

Blue 

Nicotiana    .     . 

Affinis 

Perennial 

White  (sweet) 

„          .     . 

Sylvestris 

Perennial 

White 

Nigella  .     .     . 

Miss  Jekyll 

Annual 

Blue 

Night-scented 

See  Matthiola 



Stock 

Oenothera  .     . 

Macrocarpa 

Biennial 

Yellow,  Even- 
ing Primrose 

Jan. 


13 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 


Kind. 

Species  or  Variety. 

Class. 

Colour, 

Pampas  Grass 

Gynerium  argen- 
teum 

Perennial 

White  plumes 

Pansy     .    .     . 

Mixed 

Perennial 

Various 

Papaver .     .     . 

Nudicaule 

Biennial 

Orange  yellow 

Passion  Flower 

Passiflora  caerulea 

Perennial 

Blue 

Pentstemon     . 

Mixed 

Perennial 

Various 

Petunia  .     .     . 

Mixed 

Perennial 

Various 

Phacelia      .     . 

Campanularia 

Annual 

Blue 

Phlox      .     .     . 

Drummondi 

J-hardy  annual 

Various 

Physalis  (Win- 

Franchetti 

Perennial 

Scarlet 

ter  Cherry)    . 

Platystemon     . 

Californicus 

Annual 

Lemon 

Polyanthus 

Mixed 

Perennial 

Various 

Poppy     .     .     . 

Carnation-flowered 

Annual 

Various 

double 

Annual 

White,  scarlet, 
pink,  &c. 

. 

Shirley 

Annual 

Various 

Portulaca     .     . 

Mixed 

J-hardy  annual 

Various 

Ricinus(Castor 

Gibsoni 

i^-hardy  annual 

Handsome 

oil  plant)  .     . 

leaves 

Rocket,  sweet  . 

Purple  or  white 

Perennial 

Purple,  white 

RoseCampion . 

Agrostemma 
coronaria 

Perennial 

Crimson 

Salpiglossis      . 

Mixed 

i-hardy  annual 

Various 

Salvia      .     .     . 

Blue  Beard 

l-hardy  annual 

Blue 

Saponaria    .     . 

Calabrica 

Annual 

Rose 

Scabious,  sweet 

Mixed 

Perennial 

Various 

Schizopetalon  . 

Walkeri 

Annual 

White,  sweet 

Silene      .     .     . 

Pendula  compacta 

Annual 

Pink 

„          ... 

Armeria 

Annual 

Rose 

Statice  (Sea 

Sinuata 

Annual 

Various 

Lavender) 

Stock.     .     .     . 

German  lo-week 

-|-hardy  annual 

Various 

„     .     .     .     . 

Giant  Perfection 

.^ -hardy  annual 

Various 

„     .     .     .     . 

Brompton 

Biennial 

Various 

„     .     .     .     . 

Night-scented 

Annual 

Lilac 

Stokesia .     .    . 

Cyanea 

Perennial 

Mauve 

Sunflower    .     . 

Miniature 

Annual 

Yellow 

»          •     • 

Tall 

Perennial 

Yellow 

Swan  River 

Brachycome  iberidi- 

Hardy  annual 

Blue 

Daisy 

folia 

Sweet  Peas      . 

See  special  list 

Sweet  Rocket  . 

White  or  purple 

Perennial 

White,  purple 

Sweet  Sultan   . 

White,  yellow 

Annual 

White,  yellow 

Sweet  William 

Mixed 

Biennial 

Various 

Tagetes  .     .     . 

Signata  pumila 

i-hardy  annual 

Yellow 

14 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 


Kind. 

Species  or  Variety. 

Class. 

Colour, 

Tobacco,  sweet 

See  Nicotiana 

Tropaeolum     . 

Canariense 

i-hardy  annual 

Yellow  Canary 
Creeper 

Venus' Looking- 

Specularia  specu- 

Annual 

Blue 

glass     .     .     . 

lum 

Verbascum .     . 

Olympicum 

Biennial 

Yellow 

Verbena .     .     . 

Mixed 

Perennial 

Various 

Virginian  Stock 

Pink,  white 

Annual 

Pink,  white 

Viscaria .     .     . 

Cardinalis 

Annual 

Scarlet 

Wallflower  .     . 

Belvoir  Castle 

Biennial 

Yellow 

„ 

Blood  red 

Biennial 

Red 

») 

Double 

Biennial 

Various 

Annual 

Annual 

Various 

Winter  Cherry 

Physalis  Franchetti 

Perennial 

Orange  pods 

Zinnia     .     .     . 

Single  mixed 

il-hardy  annual 

Various 

»         ... 

Double 

J-hardy  annual 

Various 

Jan. 


This  is  a  long  list,  but  there  is  no  obligation  on  any 
reader  to  order  all  the  plants  named  in  it.  He  will  make 
his  choice  from  knowledge  of  the  plants,  or  from 
the  descriptions  in  the  catalogues,  or  from  the  fuller 
references  to  most  of  the  plants  which  follow  in  these 
pages.  The  annuals,  if  hardy,  are  raised  by  sowing  out 
of  doors  in  March  and  April ;  if  half-hardy,  under  glass 
in  March,  or  out  of  doors  in  May.  The  biennials  and 
perennials  are  mostly  raised  by  sowing  out  of  doors  in 
May  or  June,  but  a  few,  such  as  Antirrhinums,  Verbenas, 
Pentstemons,  Indian  Pinks  and  Pansies,  are  sown  in 
winter  or  early  spring,  under  glass,  for  blooming  the 
same  year.     A  fuller  list  is  given  in  Chapter  VI. 

China  Asters  and  Sweet  Peas  are  certainly  two  of  the 
most  important  plants  in  the  list,  and  I  will  therefore 
give  special  selections  of  them. 


THE   GARDEN    WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Jan.  China  or  Annual  Asters 

These  beautiful  half-hardy  annuals  have  been  special- 
ised to  such  an  extent  that  nearly  a  dozen  distinct  types 
are  now  sold  by  seedsmen.  They  differ  in  the  height  to 
which  the  plant  grows,  and  in  the  colour  of  the  flowers. 
In  each  section  there  are  several  distinct  colours  which 
are  offered  in  "assortments"  or  "collections"  of  separate 
colours,  but  can  be  bought  at  a  cheaper  rate  in  mixture. 
The  following  are  the  principal  sections  : 

Quilled,  which  has  rolled  florets. 

Paeony-flowered,  which  has  incurved  florets. 

Dwarf  Chrysanthemu7n -flowered,  which  has  reflexed  florets. 

Victoria,  which  also  has  reflexed  florets. 

Crown  or  Cockade,  which  has  flowers  with  a  white  centre. 

Dwarf  Bouquet,  which  is  very  low  growing,  and  is  suitable  for  pots 
or  the  edges  of  beds. 

Co?net,  which  has  broad,  flattish,  drooping  florets,  flowers  very 
large. 

Ostrich  Plume,  which  has  large  flowers  with  loose,  feathery  central 
florets,  that  impart  a  very  graceful  appearance  to  the  blooms. 

Single, — This  is  the  Callistephus  sinensis  of  botanists,  and  has 
pretty  mauve  flowers. 

The  three  most  important  sections  for  flower-garden 
decoration  are  probably  the  Victoria,  the  Comet,  and  the 
Ostrich  Plume,  all  of  which  make  beautiful  beds,  or 
handsome  clumps  in  borders.  They  grow  about  two 
feet  high. 

Sweet  Peas 

The  Sweet  Pea  has  progressed  so  rapidly  under  the 
hands  of  cross-fertilisers  that  there  are  now  two  or  three 
hundred  varieties.  Much  use  can  be  made  of  Sweet 
Peas  in  the  flower  garden,  as  we  shall  presently  see,  and 
it  is  therefore  very  desirable  to  have  a  selection  of  good 
i6 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 


sorts.     I  append  a  list.    Those  marked  with  an  asterisk      Jan. 
may  be  chosen  if   room  cannot  be  found    for  all  the 
varieties  named.     They  are  arranged  in  their  colours. 


«^/4z'/^.— Dorothy  Eckford,  *Etta 
Dyke 

Blush. — *Mrs.  Hardcastle  Sykes 

Crimson. — Sunproof  Crimson 

Scarlet. — Queen  Alexandra 

Carmine. — *John  Ingman 

Cream. — *  Clara  Curtis 

Dark  blue. — Lord  Nelson 

Mauve  blue. — *A.  J.  Cook 

Light  blue. — Masterpiece,  *Lady 
G.  Hamilton 

Cerise. — Chrissie  Unwin 

/■/w/^.— *Countess  Spencer,  Con- 
stance Oliver 

Oran<;e. —Y.dndi  Unwin,  *Helen 
Lewis 

Greenhouse  and  Conservatory  Plants 

At  the  same  time  as  flower  seeds  are  being  ordered 
for  the  garden,  packets  of  certain  beautiful  kinds  suitable 
for  adorning  the  greenhouse  and  conservatory  can  be 
procured.  Some  of  them  will  be  sown  in  winter,  some 
in  spring,  and  some  in  summer,  as  we  shall  see  hereafter. 
Here  is  the  list  in  tabular  form  : 


Magenta. — Menie  Christie 
Primrose,    rose    edge.  —  *  Evelyn 

Hemus 
Primrose  with  rose  border. — Mrs. 
Henry  Bell 

White  with  rose  edge.  —  *Elsie 

Herbert 
Mauve. — Tennant  Spencer 
Maroon. — *  Nubian 
Rose Jlake.— Mrs.  W,  J.  Unwin 
Blue /lake. — Suffragette 
Blue-veined. — *Helen  Pierce 
Bicolor. — Mrs.  A.  Ireland 

Violet  and  purple. — Rosie  Adams 

Salmon, — Earl  Spencer 


Kind. 

Species  or  Variety. 

Class. 

Colour. 

Abutilon     .     . 

Mixed 

Perennial 

Various 

Acacia    .     .     . 

Lophantha 

Perennial 

Yellow 

Acroclinium     . 

Roseum 

Annual  ever- 
lasting 

Rose 

» 

Album 

Annual  ever- 
lasting 

White 

Alonsoa .     .     . 

Warscewiczii 

Annual 

Scarlet 

Anagallis    .     . 

Grandiflora 

Annual 

Blue 

Balsam  .     .     . 

Camellia-flowered 

Annual 

Various 

17 


THE   GARDEN    WEEK   BY   WEEK 


Kind. 

Species  or  Variety. 

Class. 

Colour. 

Begonia .     .     . 

Single  and  double 

Perennial 

Various 

Browallia    .     . 

Elata 

Annual 

Blue 

Calceolaria .     . 

Mixed  herbaceous 

Perennial 

Various 

Campanula.     . 

Pyramidalis 

Perennial 

Blue,  white 

Carnation    .     . 

Marguerite 

Annual 

Various 

Celosia   .     .     . 

Plumosa 

Annual 

Red,  yellow 

Coleus    .     .     . 

Mixed 

Perennial 

Handsome 
leaves 

Cineraria     .     . 

Mixed 

Perennial 

Various 

» 

Star-flowered 

Perennial 

Various 

Cockscomb 

Prize 

Perennial 

Crimson 

Cuphea  .     .     . 

Miniata 

Annual 

Scarlet 

Cyclamen    .     . 

Giant 

Perennial 

Various 

Diascia  .     .     . 

Barberae 

Annual 

Pink 

Exacum .     .     , 

Affine 

Biennial 

Mauve 

Francoa .     .     , 

Ramosa 

Perennial 

White 

Gerbera .     .     . 

Jamesoni 

Perennial 

Scarlet 

Gloxinia.    .     . 

Mixed  hybrid 

Perennial 

Various 

Grevillea    .    . 

Robusta 

Perennial 

Fern-like 
leaves 

Heliotrope  .     . 

Mixed 

Perennial 

Various 

Hibiscus     .     . 

Manihot 

Perennial 

Primrose 
Crimson  eye 

Humea  .     .     . 

Elegans 

Perennial 

Brown,  sweet 

Impatiens  .     . 

Holstii 

Perennial 

Orange 

Isolepis  .     .     . 

Gracilis 

Perennial 

Grass 

Lobelia  .     .     . 

Ramosa  (tenuior) 

Perennial 

Blue 

Lophospermum 

Scandens 

Perennial 

Pink 

Mignonette 

Miles'  Spiral 

Annual 

Buff 

Maurandya 

Purpurea 

Perennial 

Purple 

Musk      .     .     . 

Mimulus  moschatus 

Perennial 

Yellow,  sweet 

Nicotiana   .     . 

Affinis 

Perennial 

White,  sweet 

Nemesia     .     . 

Mixed 

Annual 

Various 

Petunia  .     .     . 

Double  fringed 

Perennial 

Various 

Primula .     .     . 

Fringed 

Perennial 

Various 

»        ... 

Double 

Perennial 

Various 

)t       ... 

Fern-leaved 

Perennial 

Various 

>)       ... 

Stellata  (star) 

Perennial 

Various 

Obconica    grandi- 

Perennial 

Blush 

flora 

„        ... 

Kewensis 

Perennial 

Yellow 

Rehmannia 

Angulata 

Perennial 

Pink 

Rhodanthe .     . 

Manglesi 

Annual  ever- 
lasting 

Rose,  white 

Rivina    .     .    . 

Humilis 

Perennial 

Red  berries 

i8 


THE   OPENING  YEAR 


Kind. 

Species  or  Variety. 

Class. 

Colour. 

Saintpaulia .     . 

lonantha 

Perennial 

Violet 

Sensitive  plant 

Mimosa  pudica 

Perennial 

Peculiar  leaves 

Schizanthus     . 

Wisetonensis 

Annual 

Various 

Streptocarpus  . 
Stock.    .     .     . 

Mixed  hybrid 

Perennial 

Various 

German  lo-week 

Annual 

Various 

Intermediate 

Biennial 

Various 

Tacsonia     .     . 

Van  Volxemi 

Perennial 

Scarlet 

Thunbergia 

Alata 

Annual 

Buff,  dark  eye 

Torenia  .     .     . 

Bailloni 

Annual 

Yellow,  purple 
throat 

,,        ... 

Foumieri 

Annual 

Violet  and 
white 

Verbena.     .     . 

Mixed 

Perennial 

Various 

Zinnia     .     .     . 

Double  mixed 

Annual 

Various 

Jan. 


Bulbs,  Tubers,  and  other  Roots 

We  have  not  quite  done  with  the  seedsman's  catalogue 
when  we  have  made  the  selections  of  vegetable  and 
flower  seeds  that  we  want  for  our  year's  supply,  because 
it  generally  contains  a  short  list  of  bulbs,  tubers,  and 
other  roots  which  are  planted  in  spring.  Here  is  a  table 
of  these  plants.  In  a  few  cases,  notably  tuberous 
Begonias,  Gloxinias,  and  Streptocarpus,  we  have  already 
seen  that  they  can  be  raised  from  seed,  but  flowers  can 
be  got  quicker  by  planting  or  potting  tubers  : 


Kind. 

Species  or  Variety. 

Colour. 

Greenhouse 
or  Garden. 

Achimenes  .     . 
Agapanthus     . 
Amaryllis    .     . 
Anemone    .     . 

Begonia .     .     . 

Mixed 

Umbellatus 

Mixed  hybrid 

Alderborough 

St.  Brigid 

Fulgens 

Tuberous 

Various 

Blue 

Various 

Various 

Various 

Scarlet 

Various 

Greenhouse 

Tubs  outdoors 

Greenhouse 

Garden 

Garden 

Garden 

Both 

19 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 


Kind. 

Species  or  Variety. 

Colour. 

Greenhouse 
or  Garden. 

Calla  (Arum)  . 

The  Godfrey 

White 

Greenhouse 

Canna     .     .     . 

Many  varieties 

Various 

Both 

Dahlia    .     .     . 

Many  varieties 

Various 

Garden 

Dielytra .     .     . 

Spectabilis 

Pink 

Both 

Galtonia      ,     . 

Candicans 

White 

Garden 

Gesnera .     .     . 

Mixed  hybrid 

Various 

Greenhouse 

Gladiolus     .     . 

Mixed  hybrid 

Various 

Garden 

Gloxinia      .     . 

Prize 

Various 

Greenhouse 

Helleborus .     . 

Niger    (Christmas 
Rose) 

White 

Garden 

Hemerocallis  . 

Flava(Day  Lily) 

Yellow 

Garden 

Hepatica     .     . 

Various 

Various 

Garden 

Hyacinthus 

See  Galtonia 

Irises      .     .     . 

Various 

Various 

Garden 

Kniphofia    .     . 

Various 

Various 

Garden 

Liliums  .     .     . 

Various 

Various 

Garden 

Lily  of  the  Val- 

Common 

White 

Garden 

ley 

Montbretia .     . 

Various 

Mostly  orange 

Garden 

Paeony  .     .     . 

Herbaceous 

Various 

Garden 

Ranunculus     . 

Various 

Various 

Garden 

Solomon's  Seal 

Common 

Greenish  white 

Garden 

Spiraea  .     .     . 

Aruncus 

White 

Garden 

„        ... 

Filipendula      flore 

White 

Garden 

pleno 

>t       ... 

Palmata 

Crimson 

Garden 

Streptocarpus  . 

Hybrid 

Various 

Greenhouse 

Tritoma       .     . 

Various 

Various 

Garden 

Tropoeolum    . 

Polyphyllum 

Yellow 

Garden 

i> 

Speciosum 

Scarlet 

Garden 

» 

Tricolorum 

Scarlet,  yellow 
and  black 

Garden 

Vallota   .     .     . 

Purpurea    (Scar- 
borough Lily) 

Scarlet 

Greenhouse 

The  bulb  catalogues  proper  are  published  in  autumn, 
and  in  the  September  or  October  chapter  I  will  rifle 
their  contents  and  make  selections.  The  fruit  and  tree 
and  shrub  catalogues  also  appear  in  autumn. 

Catalogues  of  hardy  plants,  of  bedding  plants,  and  of 
greenhouse  plants  generally,  are  published  in  spring  as  a 

20 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 

rule.     I  will  consider  them  in  due  course.     All  classes     Jan. 
of  plants  will  then   be  dealt   with   at   the   appropriate 
seasons. 

Before  parting  from  the  seed  catalogues,  I  should 
like  to  throw  out  the  hint  that  those  who  like  to 
leave  the  choice  of  varieties  to  the  dealer,  merely 
telling  him  the  size  of  the  garden,  and  inviting  a  quota- 
tion for  one  of  his  special  "  collections,"  will  get  more 
seeds  for  a  given  sum  than  by  ordering  the  different 
kinds  individually.  This  applies  equally  to  vegetables 
and  flowers. 


JANUARY— First  and  Second  Weeks  Jan. 

I  said  at  the  opening  of  the  present  chapter  that 
January  is  in  the  main  a  month  of  preparation.  There 
are  rarely  any  outdoor  flowers  in  the  first  half  of  the 
month,  although,  if  the  winter  be  mild,  there  may  be  a 
few  stray  blossoms  on  the  coloured  primroses,  and  an 
early  Iris  or  two  may  be  open.  In  frames  both  Violets 
and  Irises  may  be  in  flower,  but  it  will  depend  upon 
the  weather.  The  winter  Jasmine  will  have  seized  any 
opportunity  of  a  mild  spell  to  open  her  pretty  primrose 
blossoms,  and  the  sweet,  white,  winter  Honeysuckle 
(Lonicera  Fragrantissima),  may  be  out. 

There  will  be  plenty  of  flowers  in  the  heated  green- 
house or  conservatory,  resulting  from  operations  in 
summer  and  autumn,  which  will  be  described  at  the 
right  time. 

Fruit  trees  are  dormant,  as  are  trees  and  shrubs,  with 
one  or  two  exceptions. 

Hardy  winter  vegetables  are  in  use,  and  others  are 
being  forced. 

Let  us  take  the  different  sections  separately. 


Jan. 
I-I5 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 


Flowers 

There  is  work  to  be  done  among  greenhouse  plants, 
and  also  in  raising  plants  for  later  use  in  the  flower 
garden. 

Begonias  {tuberous). — There  are  few  more  beautiful 
late-flowering  garden  plants  than  the  tuberous  Begonia, 
and  it  will  bloom  the  same  year  if  seeds  are  sown  in 
January  in  a  warm  house,  and  the  plants  handled 
properly  afterwards.  Seed  of  both  single  and  double 
strains  can  be  bought,  and  it  is  wise  to  buy  it  in  mixture 
— I  do  not  mean  singles  and  doubles  mixed,  but  mixed 
varieties  of  each  section.  One  gets  a  lovely  display  of 
brilliant  flowers  if  the  strain  is  good.  Seedling  Begonias 
always  progress  slowly  towards  the  flowering  stage, 
because  before  we  can  get  stem  and  leaves  we  must  get 
the  tuber,  and  that  must  have  time  to  form  and  grow.  It 
is  for  this  reason  that  I  advocate  January  sowing. 

Sowing  Small  Seeds. — Seed  of  tuberous  Begonias,  as 
of  some  other  plants,  such  as  herbaceous  Calceolarias, 

which  I  shall  have  occa- 
sion to  refer  to  later,  is 
very  small  indeed,  and 
needs  to  be  handled  with 
care,  or  it  will  be  irre- 
trievably scattered.  The 
packets  of  small-seeded 
plants  should  be  left  un- 
opened until  the  recep- 
tacles for  them  are  ready, 
so  that  the  risk  of  the  seed 
The  surface  soil  should  be 
It  is  a  good  plan 


Fig 


Sowing  Small  Seeds  in  a 
Box  OR  Pan, 
a.  Drainage,  b.  Compost. 

c.  Surface  cf  soil  made  fine  and  level  for 
seeds. 

being  lost  is  minimised. 

very  fine,  moist,  and  perfectly  level 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 


to  cover  it  with  a  film  of  damp  silver  sand,  as  this  shows 
up  coloured  seeds  even  if  very  small,  and  acts  as  a  safe- 
guard against  thick  sowing;  moreover,  it  prevents  the 
seed  being  sown  unevenly.  It  is  not  necessary  to  cover 
the  seed,  either  with  sand  or  soil,  but  a  few  flakes  of 
clean,  fresh,  damp  moss  may  be  laid  over  it,  provided 
the  raiser  can  trust  himself  to  recollect  the  necessity  for 
removing  them  as  soon  as  the  young  shoots  begin  to 
appear.  A  square  of  glass  shaded  with  brown  paper 
(which  may  give  place  to  a  piece  of  white  paper  when 
germination  has  taken  place)  should  be  placed  over  the 
receptacle. 

Care  of  Seedlings. — Tiny  seedlings  of  choice  plants 
require  constant  attention,  but  they  are  no  more  likely 
to  die  than  young  Cab- 
bages if  the  grower  will 
only  learn  correct  water- ' 
ing  and  ventilation.  He 
must  see  that  the  soil 
does  not  get  quite  dry, 
and  remain  so  for  several 
hours;  on  the  other  hand, 
he  must  not  flood  the 
plants  with  water  at  re- 
gular intervals.  Water- 
ing will  not  be  wanted 
more  than  once  a  day  in 
winter,  if  that,  and  it  is 
very  little  trouble  to  lower 
the  seed  pan  into  a  vessel 
of  lukewarm  water,  and  hold  it  there,  immersed  to  the 
level  of  the  seedlings  within,  until  the  water  has  per- 
colated through  and  moistened  the  surface.  When  the 
pot  is  withdrawn  it  should  be  held  over  the  tub  until  the 
23 


Jan. 
1-15 


Fig. 


2.— Watering  Seedlings  by 
Immersion. 


a.  Pan  containing  seedlings  held  down 
in  a  pail  of  water,  b. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY    WEEK 

Jan.      water  has  run  back  again.     Air  is  essential,  but  cold 
I~I5     draughts  are  bad.    "  Propagators  "  (close,  heated  boxes  or 

pits)  are  very  good  for 
starting  plants,  but  are 
not  good  for  growing 
them,  because  of  the 
want  of  air.  Seedlings 
raised  in  propagators 
should  be  removed  early, 
and  put  on  an  airy  stage 
or  shelf  near  the  glass. 

Gloxinias  from  Seed. — 
Like  Begonias,  these 
beautiful  plants  have  to 
form  tubers  before  they 
can  develop,  and  it  is 
therefore  wise  to  sow  a 
packet  of  seed  early  in 
January.  They  are  among  the  most  beautiful  of  all 
small,  low-growing  plants  for  greenhouses  and  conser- 


Propagator. 


a.  a.  Hot-water  pipes. 

b.  Cocoa-nut  fibre  for  plunging  pots 
containing  cuttings  (c)  in. 
This  kind  of  propagator  can  be  used 
separately  with  a  lighted  lamp  under 
it,  when  the  propagator  rests  on  a 
vessel  of  water. 


Fig.  4.— Starting  Gloxinia  Tubers. 

a.  Soil  in  a  box. 

b.  Tubers  partially  buried  in  the  soil. 

c.  A  tuber  starting  to  grow. 

vatories,  and  when  once  a  stock  of  tubers  has  been 
secured,  a  succession  of  bloom  can  be  had  by  the  simple 
device  of  starting  the  tubers  in  batches. 
24 


fttoTE^TF  amusf 


The  Star  Cineraria  (stellata),  a  free-flowering  section, 
very  brilliant  in  colour,  and  useful  for  winter  bloom. 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 

Gloxinias  from  Tubers.  —  Those  who  already  have  Jan. 
tubers,  or  who  prefer  to  buy  them  in  order  to  get  flowers  ^~^5 
earher  than  it  is  possible  to  have  them  from  seed,  may 
start  a  few  now  if  they  want  a  batch  of  plants  in  bloom 
in  spring.  But  a  warm  house  is  necessary,  as  an  un- 
heated  greenhouse  might  be  frosted  over  at  this  time  of 
year.  The  grower  ought  to  have  a  minimum  temperature 
of  55°.  Pots  from  six  to  seven  inches  across,  top  inside 
measurement,  will  be  suitable.  The  soil  may  consist  of 
three  parts  loam,  one  part  leaf  soil,  and  about  a  twelfth 
of  coarse  sand. 

Procuring  Potting  Soil, — I  advise  all  growers  of  pot 
plants  to  lay  in  a  store  of  suitable  soil  at  the  outset  of 
their  operations.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  buy  it  in  winter, 
because  it  can  be  carted  in  when  the  ground  is  hard  with 
frost.  Every  trade  florist  knows  what  potting  loam  is, 
because  he  uses  it  himself,  and  he  will  generally  supply 
it  to  customers.  An  amateur  can  prepare  it  himself  by 
buying  turves,  but  he  cannot  use  the  latter  at  once,  because 
the  grass  is  fresh.  He  must  stack  the  turves  in  a  heap 
and  leave  them  for  several  months — preferably  a  whole 
year,  as  then  the  grass  decays  thoroughly ;  moreover, 
any  eelworms  and  wireworms  which  may  be  ensconced 
in  the  roots  of  the  grass  when  it  is  taken  up  are  starved 
out.  A  temporary  supply  of  leaf  mould  can  also  be  got 
from  the  florist,  and  a  future  supply  prepared  at  home 
by  getting  some  leaves  in  the  autumn,  treading  them  into 
a  mass  in  a  spare  corner,  and  leaving  them  several 
months  to  decay.  Any  local  builder  will  supply  coarse, 
washed  sand,  but  silver  sand  has  generally  to  be  got 
from  the  florist. 

Star  Cinerarias. — The  amateur  who  sowed  seed  in 
late  spring  of  the  previous  year  will  now  see  them 
advancing    into   bloom.      One    realises    how    valuable 

25 


Jan. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Cinerarias  are  when  one  sees  a  well-grown  batch  of 
them  flowering  in  a  public  garden,  such  as  Kew,  on 
a  winter  day.  Especially  does  one  admire  the  Star 
Cineraria,  with  its  graceful  habit  and  abundance  of  bright 
flowers.  My  present  hint  is  concerned  with  the  treat- 
ment of  developed  plants.  I  will  deal  with  sowing  at 
the  proper  time.  In  the  first  place,  it  should  be  re- 
membered that  a  high,  moist  temperature  is  bad.  The 
plants  enjoy  a  cool,  rather  dry  air.  Note  the  buoyant, 
bracing,  spicy  atmosphere  of  the  beautiful  "  flowering 
house "  in   Kew  Gardens,  and  you  will  appreciate  my 

point.  A  temperature  of 
40°  to  45°  is  quite  warm 
enough.  The  plants  should 
only  be  watered  when  the 
soil  becomes  nearly  dry, 
but  it  must  not  be  allowed 
to  get,  and  remain,  quite 
dry.  A  dose  of  liquid 
manure  may  be  given  once 
a  week.  Florists  sell  tins 
of  fertiliser,  a  pinch  of 
which  may  be  sown  on  the 
surface  and  watered  in. 

Blue    Lobelias.  —  There 
are   still  plenty  of  people 

left  in  the  world  who  use 
Fig.  s.— Cuttings  FROM  Stock  Plants  ^     ,     ,. 

OF  Blue  Lobelia.  blue  Lobelias   for  borders 

a.  Old  plant  in  pot.  Jq 
i.  A  good  cutting  prepared  by  removing 

the  two  lowest  leaves  (see  dark  lines),  although 

c.  An  unsuitable  cutting,  bearing  flowers.  ,  1        >>  r  1  •    1  •. 

^  ^  border,       of       which      it 

formed    a    part,   no    longer   enjoys    its   former   favour. 

Those  who  have  old  Lobelia  plants  in  autumn  generally 

pot  them,  put  them  on  a  shelf  in  the  greenhouse,  and 

26 


the     flower     garden, 
the       "ribbon 


%r:. 


■m\y? 


.:5%>t 


l^,a^' 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 

make  the  young  shoots  into  cuttings  when  they  start     Jan. 
growing  in  late  winter.     Others  who  have  no  "stock"      ^~^5 
plants  may  sow  seed  now,  and  they  will  then  get  strong 
flowering  plants  by  June. 

Bulbs  in  Pots. — The  common  and  good  plan  of  plung- 
ing pots  of  bulbs  in  coarse  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse  or 
ashes  in  autumn  has  one  drawback  with  amateurs.  It 
is  often  a  case  of  "out  of  sight,  out  of  mind."  The 
plants  are  forgotten,  and  they  push  growth  into  the 
fibre — growth  which  is  weak  and  blanched.  Bulbs 
potted  in  November  should  be  examined  in  December 
and  January,  and  removed  from  the  fibre  when  they 
have  made  an  inch  of  growth. 

Fruit 

Although  fruit  trees  may  be  planted  theoretically  at 
any  time  from  November  to  March  inclusive,  January 
is  rarely  a  good  month  for  planting.  The  soil  is  cold, 
and  perhaps  "  messy."  But  pruning  may  be  done,  and 
it  is  often  convenient  to  do  this  when  the  ground  is 
hard  with  frost,  as  the  soil  is  not  trodden  up.  The 
fear  that  injury  may  accrue  from  pruning  in  frosty 
weather  is  baseless.  If  early  fruit  is  wanted  under  glass, 
preparations  may  be  made  this  month. 

Pruning. — The  correct  pruning  of  the  different  kinds 
of  fruit  trees  is  a  matter  of  considerable  moment  to  fruit 
growers.  Fruit  trees  may  be  divided  into  two  classes  : 
(i)  those  which  bear  on  old  wood  or  spurs  :  (2)  those 
which  bear  on  young  wood.  Under  (i)  we  have  Apples, 
Apricots,  nearly  all  Cherries,  Red  and  White  Currants, 
Gooseberries,  Nuts,  Pears,  and  Plums.  Under  (2)  we 
have  Morello  Cherries,  Black  Currants,  Peaches,  and 
Nectarines.  Even  a  beginner  in  fruit-growing  can  dis- 
27 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 


Jan.  tinguish  between  old  and  young  wood.  Apart  from  the 
^"^5  fact  that  the  latter  grows  at  the  ends  or  from  the  sides 
of  the  former,  it  is  paler  in  colour.  A  "  spur  "  is  also 
easily  distinguished  on  Apples  and  Pears.  It  consists 
of  a  short,  knotty  growth,  with  two  or  more  buds  on 
a  mature  branch.  There  is  no  other  growth  in  any 
way  resembling  a  spur  on  either  Apples  or  Pears.     The 

spur  might  be  confused 
on  an  Apricot,  Cherry, 
or  Plum,  because  these 
fruits  often  develop 
shoots  that  are  neither 
"spurs"  proper  nor 
"shoots "proper.  They 
are  from  three  to  six 
inches  long,  and  ter- 
minate in  a  plump  bud. 
^^^  Gardeners  call  them 
"  stubs."  They  do  not 
need  any  pruning.  In 
addition  to  learning  the 
differentkindsof  growth, 
beginners  should  learn 
to   distinguish    between 

a.  Tree  unpruned.  b.  Tree  pruned.      gj^Q^^     ^^^jg     ^^^      £j.yj^ 

buds  on  the  dormant  tree,  by  which  I  mean  the  buds 
which  develop  stem  and  leaves  when  they  start  growing 
in  spring,  and  those  that  produce  blossoms.  This  is  an 
easy  matter,  as  the  shoot  buds  of  nearly  all  fruit  trees  are 
thin  and  pointed,  and  the  fruit  buds  plump  and  rounded 
at  the  tips.  An  amateur  who  is  familiar  with  the  char- 
acteristic bud  can  prune  much  better  than  one  who  is  not. 
Pruning  Apples. — Those  who  plant  Apples  should 
buy  quite  young  trees,  and  be  satisfied  if  they  get  fruit 
28 


Fig.  6.— Pruning  a  Nurseryman's 
Maiden  Apple. 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 

eighteen   months   after   planting.      They   should   order     Jan. 
three-year-old    trees   (the   dealer   has   pruned  these   as     ^'^5 
maidens    and     two-year-olds),    and     prune    back    the 
branches,  some  to  over  half  their 
length    (Fig.    8).      If    they    plant 
in    autumn,   they   should  do   this 
pruning    back   at   once.      If   they 
plant   in    spring   they   should   do 
it  when  the  young  leaves  are  un- 
folding  at  the   tips.     The   object 
of   the    cutting   back   is  to  cause 
basal  buds  to  break  into  growth, 
and    form    new   branches.     If    it 

were   not  done,  the   fresh  shoots  ^  „  ., 

'  Fig.  7.— Pruning  a  Nursery- 

would  come  from  the  tips  of  the         man's  two -year -Old 

orimnal  branches,  and  would  pro-      „  .  .    / 

t5  '  ^  a.  Points  of  pruning. 

bably    be    weak   and  "whippy,"  so   6.  Buds  suitable   for  making 

that  the  tree  had  a  top-heavy  look.         ^^  '"^^ 

As  a  result  of  the  pruning  the  trees  will  be  likely 
to  push  several  sturdy  branches  in  the  summer  after 
they  were  planted,  in  addition  to  forming  fruit  buds 
at  the  base  of  the  original  branches.  In  the  winter 
a  second  pruning  may  be  done,  but  it  need  not  be  so 
severe  as  the  first ;  in  fact,  it  will  suffice  if  the  branches 
are  shortened  to  half  their  length.  In  after  years  no 
further  cutting  back  is  likely  to  be  needed,  because  the 
trees  will  be  well  furnished  with  sufficient  strong 
branches.  It  must  be  remembered  that  cutting  back 
always  tends  to  multiply  branches,  and  it  is  possible  to 
extend  this  unduly,  with  the  result  that  the  tree  is  all 
wood  and  no  fruit. 

From  its  fifth  year  onward   the   winter   pruning  of 
Apple  trees  should  consist  mainly  in  thinning  out  shoots 
where  they  are  getting  too  thick,  and  cutting  back  the 
29 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 


S-fr  ~-^==^. 


Fig.  8.— Shortening  a  Three- Year-Old 
Apple. 

c.  Branches  to  be  cut  hard  back. 

d.  All  ends  of  branches  to  be  cut  off  at   the 

dark  lines. 


summer  side  shoots  to 
near  the  main  branches. 
The  grower  should  aim 
at  a  well-furnished,  but 
uncrowded,  tree.  If  his 
trees  have  from  ten  to 
fifteen  main  branches 
that  stand  quite  clear 
of  each  other,  are  free 
from  tangled  shoots, 
and  the  wood  is  not 
too  gross,  they  are 
sure  to  bear. 

The    pruner    should 
always  cut  as  close  to 

a  bud  as  possible  without  undermining  it,  and  when  he 

is  pruning   for    extension — 

that  is,  cutting   back  young         ^  v'V  A.t  f  r    y      _c 

trees — he   should   cut   to    a 

shoot    bud   on   the   outside  l-VX?^l  A\/i  jf./€i 

of  the  branch  in  order  that 

the    resulting    branch   may 

grow    outward     instead    of 

inward.       Any    shoot    that 

grows    towards    the    centre 

of  the  tree,  and  crosses  its 

neighbours,    should    be  cut 

clean  out. 

The    fruiting     of    Apple 

trees   is  greatly  encouraged  Fig.  q.-Winter  pruning  apples. 

*^  •'    .  ,•    ,     T  Right  side  of  Apple  tree  (a)  pruned. 

by  summer  prunmg,  WniCn  1  Left  side  of  Apple  tree  {d)  not  pruned. 

.,,    J       I         -ii      •       -A ^^^^  c.  Leading  shoots  shortened. 

Will    deal    With    m   its   proper  ^.  side  brinches  pruned. 

month. 

Root  pruning  is  called  for  in  some  cases,  but  it  is 
30 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 


only  appropriate  when  the  tree  throws  a  great  deal  of 
summer  wood,  and  does  not  bloom.  These  conditions 
generally  go  together.  If  the  side  shoots  of  a  tree  push 
more  than  two  and  a  half  feet  long  in  one  season,  there 
is  likely  to  be  a  paucity  of  fruit  buds,  and  root  pruning 


Jan. 
1-15 


Fig.  10. — Root  Pruning. 
a.  Surface  of  soil,  d.  Taproot  cut  off. 

c.  Large  fibreless  roots  cut  off.  d.  Fibrous  roots  not  cut. 

e.  The  kind  of  fibrous  roots  not  to  be  cut. 
/.  The  kind  of  large  root  to  be  cut.  ^.  The  taproot. 

will  probably  do  good.     It  consists  in  baring  the  roots 
in  winter,  and  cutting  through  some  of  them  ;  or,  in  the 
case  of  a  young  tree,  taking  it  right  out  of  the  ground, 
pruning  the  strong  roots,  and  replantnig  it. 
31 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Jan.  Pruning  Apricots. — The  Apricot  is  not  much  grown 

^"^5  in  these  days,  because  people  who  have  wall  space 
prefer  to  use  it  for  cordon  Apples  and  Pears,  the  plant- 
ing of  which  I  shall  recommend  in  November.  Apricots 
are  generally  grown  as  fan-shaped  trees,  like  Peaches. 
A  number  of  main  branches  is  secured  by  cutting  back 
young  trees  as  advised  for  Apples,  and  these  are  then 
fastened  to  the  wall  with  nails  and  shreds.  Such  side 
shoots  as  there  may  be  room  for  are  tied  in  between, 
but  the  majority  are  summer  pruned.  The  winter 
pruning  consists  in  cutting  back  the  superfluous  side 
shoots. 

Priming  Cherries. — It    is   a    rule    with    growers   of 


Fig,  II.— First  Shortening  of  Peach  or 
Cherry  to  form  a  Fan. 

a.  Point  of  shortening  the  maiden  tree. 

b.  The  direction  of  the  new  shoots. 


Cherries  to  prune  them  as  little  as  possible.  Practical 
fruit  men  say  :  "  Cherries  don't  like  the  knife."  This 
is  true.  Fortunately  Cherries  do  not  require  much 
pruning  if  the  trees  are  well  shortened  when  first 
planted.  In  this  respect  they  may  be  treated  just  like 
Apples ;  in  fact,  when  Cherries  are  young  they  have  to 
32 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 

be  pruned  whether  they  Hke  it  or  not,  to  develop  and 
shape  the  trees.     Cherries  are  often  grown  fan-shaped, 


Jan. 
1-15 


Fig.  12.— The  Second  Shortening  of  Peach 

OR  Cherry. 

Prune  as  denoted  by  the  dark  cross  lines. 

and  this  means  early  shortening.     As  a  rule,  the  trees 
assume  a  naturally  open  and  spreading  habit  when  they 


Fig.  13. — The  Third  Shortening  of  a 
Peach  or  Cherry. 

a.  Where  the  branches  were  cut  off  the  second  year. 

b.  The  resultant   new   shoots,    which   must   only  he 

thinned  out  to  prevent  overcrowding. 

have  been  shortened  two  or  three  times  while  young, 
and,   given  this,  fruitfulness  will  follow  with  very  little 
33  c 


Jan. 
1-15 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

annual  pruning.  Should  the  trees  get  thick  they  must 
be  thinned,  and  this  may  be  done  when  they  are  in  full 
leaf.  Morello  Cherries,  which  bear  their  fruit  on 
young  wood,  need  no  pruning  other  than  thinning 
the  shoots  if  very  thick.  The  less  they  are  cut  the 
better. 

Pruning  Currants. — Young  Currants  are  developed  by 
cutting  back,  just  as  other  fruit  trees  are.  If  by  these 
means  the  pruner  can  secure  a  bush  with  eight  or  nine 


Fig.  14.— Pruning  Red  Currant. 
a.  Side  shoots  to  be  cut  off  at  the  dark  lines. 
h.  Leading  shoot  to  be  shortened.       c.  Shoots  cut  back. 
d.  A  separate  leading  shoot,    e.  The  side  shoots  shortened. 


branches  nearly  a  foot  apart,  the  only  pruning  he  need 
do  in  the  case  of  Red  and  White  Currants  is  to  cut  back 
the  young  side  shoots  to  their  base,  and  this  may  be 
done  in  January.  The  fruit  will  come  on  the  old,  mature 
branches.  With  Black  Currants  the  reverse  holds,  as  the 
34 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 

best  fruit   is  borne  on   the  young  wood — that   is,   the 


Jan. 
I  15 


Fig.  15.— Pruning  Black  Currant. 

a.  Old  branches  to  be  cut  off. 

b.  Young  ones  to  be  kept. 

c.  A  separate  young  branch  ;  the  kind  to  retain. 

fruit  of  one  year  is  borne  on  the  wood  made  the  previous 
year. 

Pruning  Gooseberries. — Although  January  is  a  good 
month  for  pruning  Gooseberries  so  far  as  the  bushes 
are  concerned,  birds  have  to  be  considered.  The  more 
a  Gooseberry  bush  is  pruned,  the  easier  it  is  for  the 
birds  to  get  access  to  the  buds  on  the  shoots  left,  and 
birds  love  to  get  into  the  bushes  and  pick  the  buds 
out.  The  earlier  the  pruning  is  done,  the  more  time 
the  birds  have  to  strip  the  shoots.  Growers  find  it 
wise  to  limewash  their  Gooseberries  in  winter,  run 
threads  about  the  bushes  from  branch  to  branch,  and 
defer  the  pruning  till  the  buds  begin  to  swell. 
35 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Young   Gooseberry   bushes   are    formed    by  cutting 

about  three  times  in 
successive  years,  as  in 
the  case  of  other  trees. 
The  annual  pruning 
of  developed  bushes 
concerns  itself  princi- 
pally with  the  summer 
shoots,  as  the  Goose- 
berry is  mainly  a  spur 
bearer.  These  shoots 
are  best  dealt  with  by 
summer  pruning,  fol- 
lowed by  late  winter 
or  spring  pruning. 
Whether  or  not  the 
shoots  have  been  half- 
pruned  in  summer,  they 
should  be  reduced  to 
short  stumps  in  winter, 
as  it  is  difficult  and 
painful  to  gather  the 
fruit  from  Gooseberry 
bushes  which  are  full  of  young  shoots. 

Pruning  Peaches  and  Nectarines. — This  is  partly  sum- 
mer and  partly  winter  or  spring  work,  but  the  system 
is  reversed,  the  summer  pruning  dealing  with  the  old 
shoots  which  have  borne  fruit  (these  are  cut  quite  out), 
and  the  winter  or  spring  pruning  with  disbudding  the 
young  shoots  which  are  to  fruit  in  the  ensuing  summer. 
It  will  be  gathered  from  this  that  the  Peach  is  not  a 
spur  bearer,  but  a  young  wood  fruiter.  The  trees  are 
generally  trained  fan-shape  for  tying  to  walls  or  wire 
trellises.  They  are,  in  a  word,  flat,  not  bush  trees. 
36 


ir^ 


Fig.  16.— Pruning  Gooseberry. 

a.  Branches  to  be  cut  off. 

b.  Branches  to  be  cut  out  of  the  centre. 

c.  If  cut  here,  overcrowding  would  occur. 

d.  How  to  prune  so  that  a  bud 

e.  Points  upward,  and  the  new  shoot  grows 

denoted  by  the  dotted  line. 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 

They  need  shortening  back  three  times  from  the  Jan. 
"  maiden "  tree,  and  this  is  generally  done  by  the  ^"^5 
nurseryman,  who  sells  the  tree  ready  trained.  The 
price  is  relatively  high,  it  is  true ;  but  as  Peaches  re- 
quire skilful  handling,  it  is  worth  while  for  amateurs  to 
buy  them  in  a  fairly  advanced  stage.  They  need  then 
only  shorten  the  branches  by  one-third  after  planting. 

The  side  shoots  between  the  main  branches  are  the 
fruit  bearers.  They  will  themselves  push  shoots  as  well 
as  expand  flowers  either  in  winter  or  spring,  and  these 
shoots  must  be  reduced  to  two,  one  at  the  base  and  one 
at  the  tip,  by  what  is  called  *'  disbudding  " — that  is, 
picking  them  out  with  finger  and  thumb  directly  they 
commence  to  grow.  The  shoot  at  the  base  will  grow 
to  a  length  of  eighteen  inches  or  so  (if  much  more  than 
this  the  tree  should  be  lifted  and  root  pruned  the  follow- 
ing winter)  during  the  summer,  and  may  be  tied  in  to 
fruit  the  following  year.  The  shoot  left  at  the  tip  of  the 
current  bearing  growth  is  only  retained  in  order  to 
maintain  a  free  flow  of  sap,  and  need  not  be  allowed 
to  expand  more  than  a  couple  of  leaves,  when  the  tip 
may  be  pinched  off. 

By  this  simple  routine,  which  any  amateur  can  learn 
by  a  season's  observation  and  experience,  a  constant 
supply  of  fruiting  shoots  is  maintained  in  Peaches  and 
Nectarines  year  after  year. 

Pruning  Pears. — The  Pear  bears  its  fruit  on  spurs, 
which  mature  slowly  but  steadily.  Before  the  days  of 
the  Quince  stock  for  Pears,  the  spurs  developed  very 
slowly,  hence  the  old  line  : 

"  Plant  Pears,  plant  for  your  heirs." 

This  is  no  longer  apposite.     Nurserymen  graft  Pears 
on  to  the  Quince  stock,  and    then   send  them   out   to 
37 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK  BY   WEEK 

Jan.  customers  in  a  fair  way  for  bearing.  As  a  matter  of 
^"^5  fact,  fruit  generally  comes  the  second  or  third  year 
after  planting,  and  thereafter  pretty  regularly.  The 
object  of  the  grower  should  be  to  get  a  bush  with  from 
ten  to  fifteen  main  branches  quite  clear  of  each  other, 
and  growing  outward,  just  as  in  the  case  of  Apples. 
Such  trees  are  sure  to  form  fruit  spurs  quickly  unless 
rich  soil  encourages  over-vigorous  growth,  in  which 
case  root  pruning  will  be  needed.  When  the  trees  have 
developed,  the  annual  pruning  will  consist  of  pruning 
back  the  side  shoots  in  winter,  leaving  the  fruit  buds 
at  the  base.  These  fruit  buds  come  the  quicker  if 
summer  pruning  is  practised  (see  June  and  July 
chapters). 

Pruning  Plums  and  Damsons. — These  fruits  bear  on 
the  mature  wood,  but  not  wholly  on  spurs.  After  the 
first  exuberance  of  youth  is  spent  (and  if  considerable  it 
can  be  curbed  by  root  pruning),  the  trees  do  not  make  a 
great  deal  of  coarse  annual  growth.  They  form  spurs 
and  stubs,  on  which  they  bear.  They  also  form  fruit 
buds  along  the  mature  shoots,  like  Cherries  and  some 
Apples.  Such  side  shoots  as  exist  are  generally  short, 
and  may  be  cut  close  back  in  winter. 

Use  of  Tree  Prunings. — The  shoots  cut  out  of  fruit 
trees  in  winter  are  best  burned,  because  the  eggs  of 
destructive  caterpillars  are  sometimes  attached  to  them  ; 
but  if  it  is  desired  to  graft  some  trees  in  spring,  a  few  of 
the  best  shoots  may  be  tied  into  a  bundle  and  laid  in  the 
soil  in  a  shady  place,  or  in  a  cool  outhouse,  until  spring 
(see  Chapter  III.). 

Early  Indoor  Grapes. — In  those  gardens  where  Vines 

are  forced  so  as  to  yield  early  supplies  of  Grapes,  it  will 

soon  be  necessary  to  start  the  canes   into   growth  by 

maintaining  a  temperature  of  not  less   than   50°,   and 

38 


Marie  Louise,  one  of  the  best-flavoured  of  all  Pears, 

BUT    NOT    HAKDY    ENOUGH    FOR   THE   OPEN    IN    EXPOSED    PLACES, 
AND    SHOULD   THEREFORE    BE   GROWN    ON    A   WALL 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 

securing    a    moist    atmosphere   by   keeping   the   house     Jan. 
closed,  except  for  an  hour  or  two  on  sunny  mornings,     I~I5 
and  damping  the  walls  and  floors.    Warmth  and  moisture 
encourage  the  bursting  of  the  buds. 

Amateurs'  Vines. — Amateurs  who  have  only  one  house 
of  Vines,  and  who  are  unable  to  give  constant  skilled 
attention,  should  not  attempt  this  early  forcing,  but 
should  let  the  plants  rest  until  spring.  The  work  for 
them  at  this  period  of  the  year  is  to  prune  and  clean  the 
Vines,  if  this  work  was  not  done  in  the  autumn.  The 
pruning  consists  of  shortening  the  side  shoots  (termed 
"laterals")  which  bore  fruit  the  previous  summer  to 
their  base,  where  there  should  be  one  or  two  plump 
buds.  There  is  thus  nothing  left  except  the  main  rods 
or  canes,  with  the  buds,  which  will  give  the  current 
year's  fruiting  canes  in  due  course.  If  there  has  been 
any  mealy  bug  (a  noisome  white  insect,  which  gathers  in 
clusters  on  the  Vines,  and  even  spreads  to  the  Grapes, 
rendering  them  filthy),  the  rods  should  be  scrubbed  with 
a  paraffin-oil  and  soft-soap  mixture,  which  may  be  pre- 
pared by  boiling  a  pound  of  soft  soap  in  a  quart  of  water, 
stirring  in  half  a  pint  of  paraffin  oil,  and  working  the 
whole  up  with  a  syringe  in  five  gallons  of  water. 

Vegetables 

Little,  if  any,  work  other  than  preparing  soil,  and 
manuring,  is  likely  to  be  possible  out  of  doors,  but 
vegetables  can  be  forced  under  glass. 

Early  Asparagus. — Asparagus  is  not  often  forced  in 
small  places,  but  forcing  is  quite  feasible  for  those 
gardeners  who  have  a  range  of  pits  or  deep  frames.  If 
the  structure  be  heated  by  hot-water  pipes,  the  only  thing 
that  need  be  done  is  to  put  in  about  a  foot  of  manure, 
39 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Jan.  trample  it  down,  and  surface  it  with  eight  or  ten  inches 
I~I5  of  soil,  in  which  to  imbed  the  roots.  If  there  are  no 
pipes,  double  the  depth  of  manure  will  be  necessary.  It 
should  be  forked  about  two  or  three  times  before  it  is  put 
in  the  frame.  Asparagus  "  roots  "  ("  clump  "  would  be  a 
better  word  than  "  root,"  inasmuch  as  roots  form  only  a 
part  of  the  forcing  mass,  but  custom  rules  us)  are  con- 
glomerations of  soil,  fleshy  roots,  and  central  "  crown." 
The  latter  is  the  thickening  above  the  roots  from  which 
the  shoots  spring.  A  good  forcing  "root"  should  be 
not  less  than  three  years  old,  or  six  inches  across.  If  the 
soil  is  moistened  with  warm  water  when  it  gets  dry,  and 
a  temperature  of  from  50°  to  60°  is  maintained,  sturdy 
shoots  will  soon  appear. 

Forcing  Seakale. — Seakale   is   totally   different    from 


Fig.  17.— Forcing  Seakale. 
4.  Roots  in  bed  of  soil.  b.  Growing. 

c.  As  first  planted  for  forcing.  d.  Hot-water  pipes. 

e.  Stage  on  which  mure  Seakale  roots  may  be  forced. 
/.  Where  to  cut  off  the  heads  when  the  new  growth  is  fit  for  use. 


Rhubarb.    The  forcing  part  is  merely  a  single  fleshy  stem 
40 


THE    OPENING    YEAR 

seven  to  ten  inches  long  and  one  to  three  inches  thick.  Jan. 
Such  stems  can  be  grown  in  far  less  time  than  large  ^"^5 
roots  of  Asparagus — in  fact,  they  can  be  produced  in 
eight  months  if  pieces  about  half  an  inch  thick,  and  five 
inches  or  more  long,  are  planted  in  rich  soil  in  spring. 
It  often  surprises  me  that  amateurs  with  small  gardens 
stuff  their  limited  space  with  coarse,  strong-smelling 
vegetables  like  Brussels  Sprouts,  which  any  greengrocer 
will  supply  for  a  copper  or  two  a  pound,  when  they 
could  grow  so  delicious  a  vegetable  as  Seakale.  The 
roots  can  be  forced  in  a  frame  or  pit  just  the  same  as 
Asparagus,  or  a  few  may  be  put  in  a  box,  in  moist  soil» 
and  stood  in  any  warm,  dark  place. 

French  or  Dzvarf  Kidney  Beans, — Among  the  several 
advantages  which  owners  of  heated  fruit  houses  enjoy 
over  their  friends  who  merely  own  cold  structures,  is  that 
of  being  able  to  push  on  useful  extraneous  crops.  Thus, 
a  person  who  forces  early  Grapes  or  Peaches  by  warming 
a  house  in  January  may  also  get  a  few  early  dwarf  Kidney 
Beans,  by  sowing  seeds  in  fairly  large  pots  (7-inch  or 
8-inch)  at  the  same  time.  The  seeds  may  be  two  inches 
apart,  and  the  same  in  depth.  One  thing  to  be  very 
careful  about  is  watering.  The  plants  must  be  kept 
growing  by  using  good  soil  and  keeping  it  moist.  If 
they  grow  feebly  in  poor,  dry  soil,  a  tiny  pest  called  red 
spider  may  attack  them,  and  should  this  get  on  to  the 
Beans  it  may  find  its  way  from  them  to  the  Vines  or 
Peaches.  If  it  does,  the  grower  will  rue  the  day.  It 
causes  the  leaves  to  become  thin  and  rusty. 


JANUARY— Third  and  Fourth  Weeks 

The   weather   conditions   are   not   likely   to   change 
much  in  the  two  sections  of  the  month — or  rather,  they 
41 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Jan.  are  not  likely  to  depart  very  much  from  a  certain  order 
16-31  of  changes.  There  will  be  some  frost,  probably,  and 
some  rain — perhaps  a  spell  of  snow  or  sleet.  There  is 
hardly  likely  to  be  much  settled  fine  weather  of  the  kind 
that  the  gardener  can  rely  upon  for  outdoor  sowing. 
But  occasionally  we  get  a  period  of  dry  weather  in  the 
latter  half  of  the  month,  during  which  the  soil  becomes 
crumbly.  Should  that  happen,  gardening  may  go  on. 
The  true  gardener  is  always  on  the  watch  for  opportu- 
nities. He  is  as  one  who  is  engaged  in  constant  warfare 
with  a  wily  enemy — the  clerk  of  the  weather.  The  latter 
has  a  quite  Puckish  vein  of  humour.  He  loves  to  take 
you  by  surprise  w^ith  a  sudden  burst  of  fine  weather, 
watch  gleefully  while  the  fact  that  it  really  is  fine  is 
slowly  dawning  upon  you  ;  and  then,  just  when  you 
fully  awaken,  and  sally  forth  for  action,  to  hurl  a  snow- 
storm at  you. 

There  is  nothing  much  worse  than  a  snowstorm  in  a 
garden.  You  cannot  dig,  even  if  the  ground  is  soft, 
because  the  snow  chills  the  soil  for  a  long  time  if  turned 
in.  You  cannot  plant  trees.  You  cannot  sow  seeds. 
You  cannot  wheel  manure.  You  cannot  lay  turf.  And 
a  garden  is  not  an  ideal  place  for  tobogganing,  because 
there  are  rockeries,  and  Cucumber  frames,  and  other 
impedimenta. 

One  of  the  reasons  for  my  profound  belief  in  gardening 
is  that  this  incessant  weather  warfare  makes  people  alert, 
and  quick  to  seize  opportunities.  Professional  gardeners 
would  make  grand  scouts  with  a  little  technical  training, 
because  they  have  the  root  matter  in  them — foresight, 
watchfulness,  powers  of  observation,  and  promptness  of 
action. 

A  fine  spell  in  January  is  often  a  great  boon  to  the 
gardener.  If  it  does  no  more,  it  enables  him  to  get 
42 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 


ground  ready,  alike  for  sowing  and  planting.      Let  us 
see  how  he  can  do  this. 

Improving  and  Preparing  Soil. — It  is  almost  always 
found  that  when  a  sunny  spell  follows  frost,  the  soil, 
erstwhile  in  stiff  lumps,  crumbles  on  being  moved.  A 
crumbly  soil  is  a  thousand  times  better  than  a  lumpy 
one.  It  is  amazing  how  quickly  some  soils  become 
crumbly.  When  the  frost  leaves  the  ground,  the  soil 
appears  to  be  a  mass  of  grease  and  putty  which  will 
remain  messy  until  the  end  of  time.  In  forty-eight  hours, 
after  sunshine,  it  may  be  dry  enough  to  fall  readily  into 
small  particles.  All 
soils  are  not  alike  in  ^^  d 
this;  some  need  more 
time  than  others,  and 
it  is  the  business  of 
the  gardener  to  find 
out  how  his  own  soil 
behaves  under  given 
conditions  of  weather. 
Stiff,  clay  soil  will 
often  crumble  in 
January  or  February 
after  frost,  although, 
should  the  weather  be  wet  and  the  sky  dull  throughout 
those  months,  March  may  arrive  before  it  is  workable. 
Let  every  garden  lover  remember  that  for  flowers,  fruit, 
and  vegetables  alike,  winter  working  in  dry,  sunny 
weather  after  frost  is  highly  beneficial  to  the  soil.  A 
handy  labourer  will  neatly  bastard-trench  and  manure 
the  soil  simultaneously,  taking  off  the  top  coating  to  the 
depth  of  his  spade,  breaking  up  the  under  layer  to  an 
equal  depth,  and  laying  on  a  dressing  of  manure  two  or 
three  inches  thick  before  replacing  the  top  layer.  He 
43 


Jan. 
16-31 


Fig.  18.— Trenching  Soil. 
a.  Space  from  which  soil  has  been  taken  to 
place  at  b. 

d.  Space  to  be  filled  with  soil  from  c, 

e.  Lower  soil  loosened  and  manured. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY    WEEK 


Jan. 
16-31 


will  not  attempt  to  reduce  the  surface  to  a  very  fine  state 
at  first,  but  leave  it  in  smallish  lumps,  for  fear  of  more 
rain  before  sowing  time,  which  would  make  a  fine  sur- 
face close  and  paste-like.  Just  before  sowing  is  the  time 
to  reduce  the  top  layer  to  fine  particles. 

Garden  Paths. — People  who  are  laying  out  new 
gardens  often  find  the  walks  a  rather  harassing  problem. 
They  see  gravel  paths  in  most  places  which  they  visit, 

and,  lacking  experience^ 
suppose  that  two  or  three 
inches  of  gravel  laid  on 
the  soil  will  make  a  path. 
No,  the  gravel  is  little 
more  than  the  ornament; 
the  path  itself  is  formed 
of  two  or  three  layers  of 
rougher  material  under- 
neath. At  the  time  of 
writing  these  notes, 
labourers  are  widening 
a  drive  in  my  garden, 
and  I  will  describe  the  method  of  working.  The  surface 
soil  lies  over  chalk,  and  this  is  first  of  all  bared  by 
removing  all  the  soil,  which  is  about  fifteen  inches  deep 
above  it.  The  next  step  is  to  lay  on  six  inches  or 
thereabouts  of  other  chalk,  which  is  drawn  from  a  heap 
made  through  leveUing  a  slope  for  a  tennis  lawn.  I 
may  say  here  that  some  roadmakers  are  averse  from 
the  use  of  chalk  as  under-ballast,  on  the  ground  that, 
whatever  is  put  above  it,  the  chalk  works  through,  and 
makes  the  surface  greasy.  That  is  not  my  experience. 
I  find  that  if  it  is  well  rammed  and  covered  it  makes  an 
excellent  bottom  layer.  Above  the  chalk  comes  a  4-inch 
layer  of  clinkers,  the  finer  parts,  or  ash,  of  which  are 
44 


Fig.  19.— Section  of  Garden  Path. 
a.  Main  drain. 

bb.  Pipes  to  conduct  water  to  main  drain 
from  catch-pits  (c). 

d.  Broken  bricks,  clinkers,  &c. 

e.  Flints.  /.  Rough  gravel. 
g.  Finer  surface  gravel. 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 

kept  at  the  top  as  a  "  binding  "  material.  The  clinkers  Jan. 
and  ash  are  rammed,  levelled,  and  rolled.  Thirdly,  10-31 
there  comes  a  3-inch  layer  of  flints,  which  are  also 
rammed  and  rolled,  so  that  they  are  well  bedded  into 
the  ash.  Lastly,  there  is  a  2-inch  coating  of  gravel, 
which  is  neatly  levelled  and  rolled.  A  drive  made  up 
like  this  will  stand  all  the  strain  which  is  likely  to  come 
upon  it,  and  it  will  last.  It  will  not  be  naturally  weedy, 
and  what  weed  shows  (there  is  sure  to  be  some)  can  be 
easily  overcome  by  a  watering  with  weed-killer  in  spring, 
the  effects  of  which  will  last  throughout  the  summer. 
Walks  that  really  are  walks — i.e.  that  are  only  subject 
to  the  wear  of  foot  traffic — can  be  made  somewhat 
cheaper  by  allowing  an  inch  less  of  each  layer. 

Drives  and  walks  alike  should  be  made  with  a  suit- 
able "camber,"  i.e.  a  slight  fall  from  centre  to  outsides, 
so  that  water  may  run  off  freely.  And  there  should  be 
a  grated  drain  at  every  few  feet  to  carry  the  rain  down. 
With  a  chalky  or  sandy  subsoil,  the  water  will  find  its 
own  way  out  quickly ;  but  if  the  soil  is  clay,  it  is  wise 
to  lay  horizontal  drain  pipes  in  the  bed  of  the  walk  to 
carry  off  the  water. 

It  is  not  everybody  who  has  to  make  walks  and 
drives  on  chalk ;  but  I  need  only  say  that  if  I  were 
situated  other  than  I  am,  I  should  still  try  and  find 
something  firm  to  build  my  walk  on.  If  the  subsoil 
were  naturally  loose,  I  should  have  it  well  rammed  before 
putting  in  the  ballast. 

Flowers 

Roses. — Those  beautiful  Roses,  Bridesmaid,  Catherine 

Mermet,  Ulrich  Brunner,  Captain  Hayward,  Mrs.  John 

Laing,   and   Niphetos   will    flower    delightfully   in    the 

warm  conservatory  in  spring  if  plants  are  potted  now. 

45 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Jan.      Rosarians   have   greatly   extended   the   season    of   their 
16-31     favourite  flower  in  the  garden  by  raising  a  large  number 
of  sorts  that  bloom  continuously.     But  they  have   not 
yet  got  to  the  point  of  having  Roses  in  flower  in  March 
without  the  aid  of  glass.     It  is  a  moot  point  whether  we 
can   have    Roses   too   long. 
Many    people    would    say : 
"Yes,  if  getting  them  early 
means    sticking    them    into 
men's    buttonholes    with    a 
wretched   bit  of   Asparagus 
or    Maidenhair    Fern."       I 
suppose  it  does  mean  that, 
but  I  have  not  yet  been  able 
to    work    myself    into    the 
proper  state  of  disgust  at  the 
practice  of  wearing  button- 
hole flowers.    There  must  be 
some  serious  objection  to  it, 
or  people  would  not  get  so 
angry  about  it.     But  really, 
when  I  see  young  Mr.  Hosiery  make  his  first  task  on 
emerging  from  the  emporium  that  of  buying  a  button- 
hole flower,  and  reflect  that  a  few  years  ago  he  would 
have  gone  and  had  a  drink  instead,   I   do  not  feel  as 
strongly  tempted  as  I  ought  to  ask  him  what  he  means 
by  it.     Do  I  not  know  quite  well  what  he  means  ?     And 
do  I  not  sympathise  ?     Miss  Mantles  (who  emerges  from 
another  door)  is  undeniably  pretty. 

The  nurseryman  does  not  charge  very  much  for  pot 
Roses,  unless  the  varieties  are  new.  The  first  obligation 
which  the  grower  is  under  is  the  unpleasant  one  of 
cutting  the  plants  hard  back.  The  greater  part  of  the 
plants  must  go,  nothing  but  stumps  with  a  few  buds 
46 


Fig.  20.— Pruning  Pot  Rose. 

a.  Branch  to  be  cut  away  altogether. 

b.  Branches  to  be  cut  back  to  good  buds. 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 

on  each  being  left.    The  plants  will  soon  grow  again     Jan. 
from  the  dormant  buds;    in  fact,  they  will   be   full  of     ^^~3i 
leaves  and  in  bloom  in  a  few  weeks,  given  a  temperature 
of  50°  to  60°. 

Winter-blooming  Carnations, — Winter  exhibitions  of 
Carnations  are  now  as  well  established  an  institution 
in  London  as  cattle  and  motor  shows.  The  winter 
section,  which  is  really  quite  distinct  from  the  garden 
Carnation  of  the  summer,  has  a  Society  all  to  itself, 
and  well  deserves  it.  Think  of  having  such  a  beautiful 
flower  as  the  Carnation  in  mid-winter !  Admirable 
form,  brilliant  colour,  delicious  perfume,  and  in  every 
month  of  the  year  !  My  readers  must  keep  up-to-date 
with  the  American  type,  for  the  flowers  have  long  stems, 
and  are  therefore  well  adapted  for  arrangement  in  vases. 
Here  are  a  few  varieties  which,  at  the  time  of  writing,  are 
among  the  best  procurable  :  Britannia,  red,  a  charming 
flower  for  the  table,  as  the  colour  shows  up  so  well 
under  artificial  light ;  Enchantress,  blush,  large,  sweet, 
and  of  lovely  tint ;  Winsor,  silvery  pink ;  May  Day, 
pink;  Mrs.  Burnett,  salmon  pink;  and  White  Per- 
fection, white.  It  may  be  some  time  before  these  are 
superseded,  but  a  gardening  author  would  no  more 
use  terms  of  finality  in  connection  with  varieties  of 
popular  flowers  than  a  writer  on  motoring  would  in 
referring  to  the  engines  of  aeroplanes.  Both  are  in  a 
constant  state  of  development.  But  the  aeroplane  engine 
will  never  attain  the  pleasing  odour  of  the  Carnation. 

To  get  healthy  plants  and  a  nice  display  of  winter 
bloom,  the  amateur  must  provide  his  plants  with  a  light, 
airy  greenhouse,  and  a  temperature  of  50°  to  60°,  the 
former  being  the  night  heat.  It  may  fall  a  little  lower 
in  very  severe  weather,  but  no  real  laxity  in  the  matter 
of  heat  is  permissible.  It  is  most  convenient  to  grow 
47 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Jan.  the  plants  in  pots,  but  I  have  had  very  good  results  from 
16-31  making  a  bed  for  them  on  a  raised  stage  in  the  middle 
of  a  greenhouse,  and  planting  them  in  it.  The  flower 
stems  were  not  tied  to  stakes,  as  they  would  be  in  the 
case  of  pot  plants,  but  to  thin  wires  stretched  across 
the  bed  and  attached  at  the  sides. 

A  mixture  of  soil  that  suits  winter-blooming  Car- 
nations is  fresh  loam  with  about  a  quarter  of  decayed 
manure  and  some  sand. 

Those  amateurs  who  have  plants  and  wish  to  increase 
the  number  may  take  cut- 
tings of  the  young  shoots 
this  month,  and  insert 
several  together  round  the 
side  of  a  pot,  which  should 
be  put  into  a  bottom  heat 
(such  as  that  provided  by 
a  bed  of  moist  cocoa-nut 
fibre  refuse  over  hot-water 
pipes,  or  a  closed  tray  of 
heated  water)  of  about  65°. 
They  will  root  quickly,  and 
when  the  little  plants  begin 
to  grow  they  can  be  put 
separately  into  small  pots, 
they  can  be 
repotted  as  fast  as  they  fill 
their  receptacles  with  roots 
beyond    which    they    need 


Fig.  21. 


-Cutting  of  Winter 
Carnation. 


a.  Stem  cut  off  below  a  joint,  slit  up- 

wards, and  a  small  stone  inserted    from    which 
to  keep  the  two  parts  asunder. 

b.  Basal  leaves  to  be  removed. 

c.  Clean  growth  without  a  flower  stem 


are   m 


7-inch, 


until   they 
not  go. 

A  point  of  culture  which  must  not  be  overlooked 

is  that  of  stopping  the  plants  by  pinching  off  the  tips. 

This   may  be   done   for   the   first   time   when  they  are 

growing  freely  after  the  first  separate  potting,  and  may 

48 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 

be  repeated  in  April,  May,  or  June  if  any  of  the  shoots     Jan. 
begin  to  straggle.     Its  effect  is  to  furnish  the  plants  with     16-31 
a  sufficient  number  of  compact  shoots,  all  of  which  will 
bloom  in  due  course. 

The  plants  will  be  quite  safe  in  a  frame,  or  even 
stood  on  ashes  out  of  doors,  in  summer,  but  they  should 
be  put  under  glass  in  September. 

Solving  Sweet  Peas. — It  is  not  in  the  least  too  early 
to  sow  a  few  pots  or  boxes  of  Sweet  Peas.  A  choice 
may  be  made  from  the  varieties  named  in  a  previous 
part  of  the  present  chapter,  but  let  me  here  emphasise 
the  desirability  of  making  full  use  of  the  beautiful  range 
of  pink  and  rosy  varieties  which  we  now  have,  because 
they  look  so  well  under  artificial  light.  Countess 
Spencer,  Constance  Oliver,  Chrissie  Unwin  (but  this 
is  nearer  cerise  than  pink  or  rose),  Edna  Unwin, 
Sunproof  Crimson,  Zarina,  and  Mrs.  Hardcastle  Sykes 
are  all  charming.  The  grower  might  get  some  6-inch 
pots,  and  put  half-a-dozen  seeds  equidistant  in  each, 
covering  them  \  inch  deep.  A  greenhouse  shelf,  or 
a  frame,  will  suit  them  until  April,  when  they  can  be 
planted  in  the  garden. 

Floivering  Plants  for  Rooms. — One  who  has  a  warm 
greenhouse  need  never  be  without  a  few  pots  or  vases 
of  plants  in  bloom  that  can  be  drafted  into  rooms. 
Even  without  glass,  flowers  can  be  had  at  most  seasons 
by  growing  bulbs  in  bowls  of  peat-moss  fibre,  but 
January  flowering  is  doubtful.  Roman  and  other  early 
Hyacinths,  early  Tulips,  various  Narcissi,  Azaleas,  and 
Freesias  can  be  pushed  on  in  a  warm  greenhouse,  and 
transferred  to  the  rooms  when  they  approach  the  flower- 
ing stage.  The  little  Freesia  is  the  least  conspicuous  of 
the  flowers  I  have  named,  but  many  will  like  it  the  best 
on  account  of  its  delicious  odour. 

49  D 


THE    GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Jan.  A  Splendid  Arum  Lily. — All  lovers  of  the  white  Arum 

1^-31  Lily,  which  botanists  (who  really  ought  to  set  a  better 
example)  have  given  several  names  to,  notably  Calla 
aethiopica,  Richardia  aetJiiopica,  and  Richardia  africana 
— all  lovers  of  this  beautiful  plant  may  not  be  aware 
that  there  is  a  form  vastly  superior  to  the  ordinary  in 
profusion  and  continuity  of  flowering,  although  a  little 
smaller.  It  is  called  the  Godfrey,  after  a  florist  in 
charming  Devon,  who  introduced  it.  There  is  no 
difficulty  in  having  the  Godfrey  Arum  Lily  in  bloom 
in  January,  and  in  fact  the  whole  of  the  winter,  if  there 
is  a  warm  greenhouse  available.  The  puzzle  would  be 
to  stop  it  flowering.  It  is  as  full  of  vigour  as  a  Dorothy 
Perkins  Rose  is  in  summer.  It  simply  riots  in  growth. 
As  fast  as  one  shoot  develops,  another  springs  up  from 
the  base.  And  flowers  follow  each  other  as  fast  as 
leaves.  The  reader  who  does  not  possess  this  valuable 
plant  may  buy  it  now.  With  a  temperature  of  50°  to 
60°  it  will  soon  be  in  bloom. 

Young  Chrysanthemums. — It  seems  a  little  hard  to 
have  to  think  about  November  in  January,  but  gardeners 
are  not  as  ordinary  people.  There  are  Chrysanthemum 
growers  so  enthusiastic  that  if  they  could  have  their 
way  they  would  have  every  month  November,  so  that 
they  could  always  have  their  favourites  with  them. 
Murk,  fog,  drizzle,  sleet — what  are  these  to  people  who 
have  the  soul  of  artists  ?  Do  you  see  folk  with  rapt 
faces  surging  their  way  through  the  London  streets  in 
autumn  ?  They  are  not,  as  you  may  have  hastily 
surmised,  speculators  who  have  just  heard  good  news 
at  their  broker's,  but  Chrysanthemum  lovers  on  their 
way  to  a  show,  or  to  one  of  the  displays  in  the  public 
parks.  Fog  !  Drizzle  !  They  know  nought  of  these. 
They  live  in  a  world  as  sunny  as  old  Japan,  whence  the 
50 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 

Chrysanthemum  came  ever  so  many  years  ago.  Perhaps     Jan. 
in  November,  probably  in  December,  certainly  not  later     16-31 
than   January,    they    will   strike    cuttings   for   the   next 
display.     These  cuttings  should  be  short  and  thick,  and 
should    be    pressed    firmly 
into    sandy    soil    in    small 
pots.     If  they  can  be  kept 
under  a  cloche,  or  in  a  pro- 
pagating box,  they  will  root 
the  quicker.     Young  plants 
that  have  grown  from  cut- 
tings put  in  earlier  should 
be  exposed  to  air  in  January, 
and    encouraged    to    grow 
with     warmth,    ventilation, 
and  watering.     When   the 
cutting  pots  are  filled  with 
roots  (and  one  can  always 

judge     of     this      by      noting     b.  Basal  leaves  to  be  cut  off. 

,      ,,  ,  ,        ,        c.  Clean  growth  without  flower  buds. 

whether      roots      protrude 

from   the  drainage   hole   or  not)  the  plants  should  be 

transferred  to  larger  ones. 

New  Lawns. — Makers  of  lawns  should  never  hesitate 
between  turves  and  seeds  so  long  as  they  can  get  the 
former  free  from  weeds.  When  you  have  laid  your 
turves  the  lawn  is  made — that  is,  if  the  soil  has  been 
properly  levelled,  and  the  turf  is  well  beaten.  And  you 
can  lay  turves,  in  most  districts,  in  eight  months  of 
the  year.  The  four  excluded  are  May,  June,  July, 
and  August.  Even  these  are  not  tabu  if  there  is 
sufficient  water  available.  The  ground  men  at  Lord's, 
the  Oval,  and  that  most  delightful  of  all  cricketing 
centres,  the  St.  Lawrence  ground  at  Canterbury, 
do  not  stand  on  the  order  of  laying  turves,     They 

51 

LiBRAFlY. 

DiDiaion  of  Horticulture, 


Fig.  22. — Cutting  of 
Chrysanthemum. 

a.  Where  the  stem  should  be  severed. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 

Jan.  are  reclaiming  damaged  pitches  all  the  summer 
16-31     through. 

To  placate  the  seedsmen,  I  am  very  willing  to  admit 
that  seeds  make  nice  lawns  under  particular  circumstances, 
but  you  cannot  sow  seed  over  as  long  a  period  as  you 
can  lay  turves,  and  you  have  to  be  very  thorough  in  two 
things — to  clean  the  ground,  and  to  keep  off  birds.  With 
all  your  care  the  result  may  not  be  satisfactory  if  bad 
weather  follows  the  sowing.  Soil  chilled  by  cold,  sleety 
rains  in  spring  is  not  favourable  to  the  germination  of 
grass  seeds;  but  it  is  a  fact  worth  noting  that  weed  seeds 
will  grow,  and  they  get  a  start  of  the  grass  which  the 
latter  is  long  in  catching  up,  to  say  nothing  of  the  labour 
of  weeding. 

The  normal  seasons  for  sowing  grass  seeds  are  (i) 
mid-March  to  mid-May  ;  (2)  September.  So  far  as  the 
first  is  concerned,  experience  teaches  me  that  in  districts 
where  cold  springs  prevail  May  is  quite  early  enough. 
The  longer  the  seed  lies  in  the  ground  ungerminated, 
the  more  prolonged  is  the  battle  with  the  birds,  which 
love  grass  seeds.  But  May  sowing  does  not  give  much 
chance  of  a  thick,  firm  sward  the  same  year.  Three- 
quarters  of  a  pound  of  seed  per  square  rod  is  a  fair 
allowance. 

A  playing  lawn,  whether  for  tennis,  croquet,  or  Bad- 
minton (but  particularly  for  tennis,  which  is  a  more 
forceful  game  than  either  of  the  others),  ought,  I  think, 
to  be  made  of  turves.  The  soil,  if  poor,  needs  to  be 
dug  and  manured,  but  all  the  same  it  must  be  firm,  or 
the  grass  will  sink  in  places  and  holes  be  formed.  It 
takes  longer  to  lay  turves  than  to  sow  seeds,  but  the 
task  is  not  a  very  long  one,  provided  the  turves  are 
carefully  cut,  so  as  to  be  not  only  of  the  same  size,  but 
of  the  same  thickness.  If  they  are  not  of  the  same  size 
52 


THE   OPENING    YEAR 

there  is  a  great  deal  of  dovetailing  to  do  ;  if  not  of  the 
same  thickness,  of  packing  soil  under  the  thin  spots. 
Neither  ought  to  be  necessary.  Given  firm,  level  soil 
and  well-cut  turves,  lawn-making  is  nearly  as  easy  as 
dealing  Bridge  hands.  I  say  "  nearly,"  because  I  recall 
that  in  dealing  Bridge  hands  one  does  not  have  to  wield 
a  heavy  "  beater  "  (although  one  yearns  for  this  to  be 


Jan. 
16-31 


SMMM^MMMMIM&n 


Fig.  23.— Laying  Turf. 
a.  New  turves  laid  down. 
d.  A  piece  of  turf  ready  cut  for  laying. 

c.  How  to  roll  turves  to  prevent  damage  when 

carrying  them. 

d.  Ground  bevelled  for  new  turves.  e,  path. 

the  privilege  of  harassed  players  when  a  forgetful 
partner  fails  to  return  a  lead),  whereas  in  laying  turf 
the  use  of  a  beater  is  indispensable.  It  is  a  heavy 
wooden  plate  or  flat  block  mounted  on  a  curved  handle. 
It  is  swung  up,  and  allowed  to  drop  with  a  thud  on  turf 
after  turf,  compressing  all  equally.  When  the  turf  is 
all  down  and  the  beater  has  done  its  work,  the  lawn- 
53 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Jan.      maker  (who  has  by  this  time  got  his  muscles  both  strong 
^^3^     and  phant)  may  make  assurance  doubly  sure  by  spending 
an  hour  or  two  on  the  lawn  with  the  garden  roller. 

Fruit. 

Although,  as  mentioned  in  the  first  section  of  the 
present  chapter,  January  is  often  not  a  good  month  for 
planting  fruit  trees,  there  is  no  reason  why  plans  and 
preparations  should  not  be  made  for  making  new  fruit 
gardens,  or  for  arranging  the  fruit  portion  of  a  kitchen 
garden. 

Trained  Trees. — For  example,  it  may  be  proposed 
to  plant  fan,  cordon,  or  espalier  trees  alongside  the  paths 
in  a  part  of  the  vegetable  garden.  How  are  they  to  be 
supported  ?  Bush  trees  will  support  themselves,  stan- 
dards only  require  a  stake,  but  fiat  trees  must  have  a 
wall,  a  fence,  or  some  sort  of  framework  on  which  to 
lean.  It  may  be  agreed  to  provide  an  erection  of  poles 
and  wire.  Good  ;  and  in  this  case  why  not  erect  it  in 
this,  the  quiet  season,  when  labour  is  more  readily 
available  than  in  spring?  Not  only  would  I  do  this, 
but  I  would  have  the  ground  got  ready  directly  the 
framework  was  complete,  so  that  when  March  came 
there  would  be  nothing  to  do  but  to  put  in  the  trees. 

It  may  be  urged  that  self-supporting  bush  trees  are 
better  than  flat  ones — that  they  will  probably  give  more 
fruit,  and  are  more  economical  to  manage.  They  are 
certainly  more  cheaply  "run,"  but  taking  the  cordon 
as  the  typical  trained  flat  tree,  it  has  one  great  advantage 
over  the  bush  tree  for  small  gardens  in  that  it  takes  up 
so  much  less  room. 

I  think  that  every  country  garden,  however  small, 
should  have  its  "  Cabbage  patch,"  only,  instead  of  giving 
54 


THE    OPENING   YEAR 

it  up  to  Cabbages,  if  very  small,  I  would  devote  it  to  Jan. 
choice  early  Potatoes,  Asparagus,  Seakale,  Kidney  Beans,  16-31 
and  Marrowfat  Peas,  buying  my  Cabbages  from  a  cot- 
tager or  allotment  holder  who  had  a  surplus.  I  can 
understand  an  allottee  of  the  working  classes  growing 
Cabbages,  but  I  cannot  imagine  an  amateur  giving  up 
the  precious  space  of  a  small  garden  to  them  when  he 
can  buy  them  for  a  penny  each. 

Well,  when  the  Cabbage  patch  which  is  to  grow  no 
Cabbages  is  being  planned,  I  think  it  is  an  excellent  idea 
to  arrange  for  running  a  wire  framework  round  it  (leaving 
openings  at  the  corners  to  permit  of  free  access  to  the 
vegetable  part)  whereon  to  grow  fruit  trees.  They  will 
not  interfere  with  the  vegetables,  and  their  crop  will  be 
quite  as  much  enjoyed. 

Ironmongers  supply  metal  supports  suitable  for 
straining  the  wires  on,  but  those  who  are  merely  tenants 
on  short  leases  may  hardly  think  it  worth  while  to  go  to 
more  expense  than  is  entailed  by  putting  in  a  few  stout 
poles.  It  is  also  possible  to  economise  in  wire  without 
anything  very  serious  happening.  In  the  ordinary  way 
the  wires  would  be  fixed  about  a  foot  apart,  and  when 
one  glances  at  a  typical  fruit  framework  illustrated  in  an 
ironmonger's  catalogue,  one  sees  that  ten  or  twelve 
lengths  of  wire  are  shown  as  close  as  eight  inches  apart. 
Can  it  be  that  the  ironmonger  wants  to  sell  as  much  wire 
as  possible  that  he  does  this  thing  ?  One  does  not  want 
the  wires  so  close  even  with  trees  trained  horizontally,  as 
a  foot  will  do  ;  and  when  it  comes  to  cordon  Apples  and 
Pears  there  is  no  advantage  whatever  in  having  more 
than  three  wires,  say  one  a  yard  from  the  ground,  a 
second  eighteen  inches  above  it,  and  a  third  eighteen 
inches  above  the  second.  This  gives  a  total  height  of 
six  feet,  but  by  planting  the  trees  at  an  angle  of  45°  they 
55 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Jan.      have  about  another  foot  run,  and  seven  feet  will  do  very 
^""3^     well,   although   another  eighteen  inches   would   be   an 
advantage  in  rich  soil. 

With  less  wire  we  can  do  with  few  supports,  because 
there  is  not  so  great  a  weight  of  metal,  and  so  we  reduce 
the  cost  in  both  directions. 

Some  readers  may  be  glad  to  have  an  idea  of  the  cost 
of  metal  supports.  First  of  all,  two  straining  posts  are 
required  for  each  complete  length.  Strainers  six  feet 
high,  and  galvanised,  may  be  expected  to    cost   from 

sixteen  to  eighteen  shil- 
lings each.  Intermedi- 
ate galvanised  standards 
with  double  pronged 
feet,  the  same  height, 
will  probably  cost  be- 
tween three  and  four 
shillings  each.  Raidis- 
FiG.  24.— Espalier  (Wire)  for  Training    seurs   for  tightening   up 

OTHER  THAN  CORDON  TREES.        +1  ^   „,:..^   „,;n    .,  ^+  U^ 

<..  The  end  post.           ^.   Intermediate  posts.  ^^6     Wire      Will      nOt     be 

c.  Angle  iron  stay  rod.  dear   at   four    shillings    3. 

d.  Flat  iron  plate  at  base  of  post.  ^ 

e.  A  similar  one  at  base  of  stay.     The  iron  doZCn,    Or     the    keyS    for 
plates  keep  the  posts  firm.  •     j  •               x      r 

Winding    at    fourpence 


each.  There  only  remains  the  cost  of  the  wire,  and  No. 
13  gauge  galvanised  wire  will  cost  about  two  shillings  per 
hundred  yards.  But  7-ply  strand  wire  is  preferable,  and 
if  only  three  or  four  lengths  are  being  used,  it  will  be 
worth  while  to  go  to  the  little  extra  cost  for  it.  It  is  sold 
by  the  hundredweight,  and  the  length  varies  with  the 
gauge  ;  No.  6  gauge,  481  yards  to  the  hundredweight,  will 
cost  about  a  guinea. 

If  wooden  supports  are  being  used  instead  of  metal 
ones,  raidisseurs  and  key  will  not  be  needed,  but  merely 
staples,   and   these    only    cost    about    sevenpence    per 
56 


THE   OPENING  YEAR 

hundred.     The  ironmonger  will  perhaps  lend  a  tool  for     Jan. 
tightening  up  the  wire  on  the  end  posts,  which  should     IO-31 
not  only  be  deeply  imbedded,  but  also  butted,  in  order 
to  stand  the  strain. 

The  drawback  to  wooden  supports  is  their  compara- 
tively short  life,  but  this  can  be  considerably  prolonged 
by  thoroughly  charring  the  whole  of  the  part  which  is 
underground,  or  by  pickling  it  in  creosote. 

The  intermediate  poles  may  be  much  lighter  than  the 
end  ones,  but  they  should  be  well  driven  down,  as  it  is 
desirable  to  have  them  fairly  steady,  especially  if  there  is 
a  considerable  length  of  framework. 

This  matter  of  support  can,  I  repeat,  be  attended  to 
in  January,  and  the  soil  dug  and  manured,  so  that  there 
may  be  nothing  in  the  way  of  speedy  planting  when  the 
time  for  it  arrives. 

Vegetables 

The  tendency  is  to  empty  rather  than  fill  the  kitchen 
garden  throughout  this  month,  for  the  supply  of  winter 
greens  is  steadily  reduced,  the  Celery  rows  become 
shorter,  and  Asparagus,  Seakale,  and  Rhubarb  are  lifted 
and  carried  indoors  for  forcing.  But  a  building-up 
process  is  going  on  all  the  same,  both  in  the  direction  of 
preparing  ground  (see  first  section  of  the  present  chapter), 
and  in  sowing  various  things  under  glass  for  planting  out 
later  on. 

Forcing  Rhubarb. — Rhubarb  may  be  forced  just  as 
easily  as  Asparagus  and  Seakale,  which  have  already  been 
touched  upon  in  this  chapter ;  but  it  needs  a  little  more 
headroom,  and  consequently  an  ordinary  frame  is  hardly 
suitable.  A  deep  frame  or  pit  would  do,  but  Rhubarb 
can  be  forced  almost  anywhere  if  a  temperature  of  50° 
to  60°  can  be  maintained,  and  the  bed  kept  moist.  As 
57 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Jan.  an  example,  one  of  the  nicest  crops  that  I  ever  had  was 
1^31  grown  on  a  bench  in  a  potting  shed  through  which  a 
hot-water  pipe  ran.  The  bench  was  covered  with  slates, 
and  the  roots  were  packed  in  soil  upon  them.  The  only 
real  danger  in  such  circumstances  is  that  of  the  soil 
getting  dry,  and  this  matter  needs  careful  watching.  It 
is  a  good  plan  to  use  tepid  water.  At  the  worst,  a  few 
roots  of  Rhubarb  can  be  forced  out  of  doors  by  putting 
an  old  basket  or  box  over  the  stools,  and  covering  it  with 
manure  fresh  from  the  stable.  A  good  way  of  getting 
some  very  fine  Rhubarb  fairly  early  (although  not  so 
early  as  under  glass  or  with  manure),  is  to  get  an  empty 
barrel  of  a  cheap  kind,  take  out  the  bottom,  and  stand  it 
over  one  of  the  stools  when  growth  begins  in  spring. 
The  stems  grow  up  strongly  in  the  barrels.  This  is  a 
favourite  plan  with  cottagers. 

Early  Summer  Cauliflowers. — The  Cauliflower  is  the 
sweetest  of  all  the  Greens,  and  it  is  also,  I  think,  the  most 
fastidious.  Any  way,  people  come  to  grief  with  it  who 
might  be  expected,  from  their  general  experience  of 
vegetables,  to  succeed.  The  fact  is,  they  treat  it  in  a 
Cabbagy  sort  of  way  because  it  is  a  relative  of  the 
Cabbage — sow  it  anyhow  and  anywhere,  let  it  get  scraggy 
before  they  plant  it  out,  and  so  on.  The  Cauliflower 
will  not  stand  that  sort  of  thing.  It  needs  more  care. 
If  an  amateur  wants  some  tender  and  delicious  young 
Cauliflowers  in  early  summer,  he  had  better  take  the 
plant  seriously,  just  as  he  would  Begonias,  and  sow  in 
boxes  of  fine,  moist  soil  under  glass  now.  The  seed 
should  be  sprinkled  very  thinly  in  shallow  drills  drawn 
two  inches  apart  from  front  to  back.  A  shallow  heated 
pit,  a  warm  frame,  or  a  shelf  in  a  heated  greenhouse  wmII 
be  a  suitable  place.  When  the  seedlings  are  growing 
they  will  need  plenty  of  air.  and  the  soil  must  be  kept 
58 


THE   OPENING  YEAR 

only  just  moist  enough  to  prevent  the  plants  from  flag-  Jan. 
ging.  A  soppy  soil  and  a  close  atmosphere  will  bowl  16-31 
them  over  like  ninepins.  Setting  out  a  few  inches  apart 
in  other  boxes  when  they  begin  to  crowd  each  other, 
and  planting  out-of-doors  in  rich  soil  any  time  that  there 
is  fine  weather  after  the  middle  of  April,  will  do  the  rest. 
The  First  Crop  of  Cucumbers. — Neither  the  reputed 
indigestibility  of  the  Cucumber,  nor  the  triumphant 
establishment  by  food  specialists  of  the  fact  that  its 
nourishing  properties  are  negligible,  prevents  people 
from  hankering  after  a  home-grown  crop.  It  is  all  very 
well  to  compare  its  proportion  of  proteids  with  that  con- 
tained in  a  basin  of  gruel,  but  just  give  the  average 
human  being  a  choice  between  the  two,  and  see  what 
happens.  I  think  most  people  like  to  talk  about  proteids, 
and  to  keep  as  far  away  from  them  as  possible  in  practice. 
But  if  you  want  to  excel  in  the  playing  courts  proteid 
food  will  certainly  be  superior  to  Cucumbers.  As  a 
student  of  food  reform,  I  feel  impelled  to  say  this  ;  but  as 
a  horticultural  writer  I  have  to  take  things  as  they  are, 
and  show  how  Cucumbers  can  be  grown.  First,  order 
a  packet  of  seed,  and  prepare  a  sufficient  number  of 
small  pots  by  putting  a  crock  in  the  bottom  and  half- 
filling  them  with  loamy  soil.  Lay  a  seed  in  the  centre  of 
each  pot,  and  provide  a  temperature  of  60°  to  65°  in  the 
form  of  moist  bottom  heat,  such  as  that  of  a  damp 
cocoa-nut  fibre  bed  over  hot-water  pipes.  When  the 
seedlings  grow,  take  them  out  of  the  bed  and  add  a  little 
more  soil.  But  keep  the  plants  in  a  warm,  moist  house 
always.  Cucumbers  love  humid  heat — in  fact,  they  are 
a  Turkish  bath  type  of  plant.  They  will  probably  be 
ready  to  plant  in  about  three  weeks,  and  may  then  be  set 
out  about  two  feet  apart  in  small  mounds  of  lumpy  soil 
made  up  on  slates  on  the  stage  of  the  house.  The  tips 
59 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Jan.      should  not  be  pinched  out,  unless  they  are  to  be  grown 

16-31     in  a  frame. 

Early  Tomatoes. — If  Tomatoes  are  only  wanted  for  an 
outdoor  crop,  there  is  no  need  to  begin  thinking  about 
sowing  yet,  because  the  plants  cannot  go  into  the  garden 
with  safety  before  the  end  of  May,  but  it  is  different  if 
early  fruit  under  glass  is  desired.  A  propos  of  seed,  do 
not  raisers  over-clean  it  ?  One  buys  Tomato  seed  that 
has  been  so  thoroughly  cleansed  as  to  show  no  trace  of 
the  fruit  from  which  it  was  taken.  It  looks  very  nice, 
and  it  generally  germinates  ;  but  an  acquaintance  who 
grows  Tomatoes  on  a  large  scale  for  the  markets  assures 
me  that  the  plants  are  not  so  early  and  strong  as  those 
from  seed  which  has  not  been  so  rigorously  washed  out. 
His  plan  is  to  halve  the  Tomatoes  which  are  to  yield  the 
seed,  squeeze  the  pulp  into  a  sieve,  and  rub  as  much  as 
possible  through,  then  to  dry  the  seed  by  rubbing 
vigorously  with  a  cloth.  The  seed  should  be  sown 
very  thinly  in  a  pot,  pan,  or  box,  using  a  light  soil  con- 
taining a  good  deal  of  leaf  mould  and  sand,  and  put  on 
a  shelf  in  a  warm  house,  or  otherwise  near  the  glass,  so 
that  when  the  seedlings  come  they  may  be  sturdy. 

Early  Green  Peas. — It  is  not  quite  orthodox  to  sow 
Green  Peas  in  clay  soil  in  January,  but  I  have  done  it 
with  satisfactory  results  in  an  exceptional  winter,  when 
the  ground  crumbled  after  sunshine.  The  truth  is  that 
the  time  for  the  first  sowing  of  Peas  is  more  a  question 
of  the  weather  than  anything.  Those  who  have  clay  soil 
learn  from  experience  that  they  have  to  watch  their 
opportunities,  and  should  one  come  in  January  they 
need  not  be  afraid  to  embrace  it.  If  there  is  any  refuse 
soil  from  pot  plants,  and  old  hot-bed  manure  or  wood 
ashes,  about  the  place,  it  is  a  capital  plan  to  mix  them, 
and  spread  them  in  the  drills  before  sowing.  It  is  well 
60 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 

to  moisten  the  seed  with  paraffin  oil  before  putting  it  in  Jan. 
the  ground,  and  to  cover  it  with  some  three  inches  of  16-31 
soil.  Thus  treated,  it  is  generally  safe  from  attack  by 
vermin.  Chelsea  Gem  is  a  useful  dwarf  variety  for  this 
sowing.  Some  gardeners  gain  time  with  early  Peas  by 
sowing  the  seed  in  long  narrow  boxes  provided  with 
loose  bottoms.  The  idea  is  to  bring  the  crop  on  under 
glass  until  the  plants  are  a  few  inches  high,  then  to  make 
wide  drills  or  small  trenches  in  the  kitchen  garden  a  little 
wider  and  deeper  than  the  boxes,  and  to  allow  the  plants 
to  fall  gently  into  them  when  the  loose  bottoms  are 
removed.  This  plan  gives  Peas  ready  for  picking  a  good 
many  days  in  advance  of  outdoor  sowings. 

Early  Potatoes  in  Pots  and  Frames. — Potatoes  can  also 
be  advanced,  but  by  a  somewhat  different  method  from 
that  adopted  for  the  Peas.  It  is  more  suitable  to  plant 
them  out  in  a  spare  frame  set  on  a  bed  of  manure  and 
soil,  or  to  put  them  in  pots  and  keep  them  in  a  green- 
house. The  frame  saves  the  labour  of  potting.  A  short, 
close-growing  sort  is  desirable,  such  as  Ringleader,  Ash- 
leaf,  or  Sharpe's  Victor.  The  sets  may  be  put  nine  inches 
apart  in  rows  fifteen  inches  asunder,  and  as  it  will  be 
some  weeks  before  they  fill  up  all  the  space,  there  is  time 
to  get  a  few  Radishes  or  Carrots  by  sowing  between  the 
Potatoes  directly  the  latter  are  planted.  Apart  from  the 
labour  involved,  the  principal  drawback  to  the  pot 
system  is  that  large  pots  are  wanted.  An  8-inch  pot  is 
really  the  smallest  size  that  ought  to  be  used  for  one 
Potato,  but  lo-inch  and  larger  sizes  will  accommodate 
three  sets.  They  should  be  put  about  half-way  down,  so 
that  they  can  be  well  covered. 

Onions. — Onion   growers   find   that   they   get    larger 
bulbs,  and  have  less  trouble  from  enemies  of  the  crop, 
by  raising  plants  under  glass  in  January  than  by  sowing 
61 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Jan.      out  of  doors  in  March  or  April.     Ailsa  Craig  is  a  good 
16-31     sort  for  this  purpose. 


January  Gardening  in  Brief — A  RfesuMfi 

Jan.  We  see  that  January  is  not  an  ideal  planting  month, 

and  that  those  who  have  fruit  and  other  trees  and  shrubs 

Resume  to  put  in  will  generally  do  better  to  let  January  be  a 
month  of  preparation  than  of  planting. 

Wintry  weather  may  bring  much  outdoor  work  to  a 
standstill,  but  if  it  means  no  more  than  frost,  it  does  not 
cause  complete  paralysis.  Any  carting  or  heavy  wheeling 
that  may  be  needed  can  be  done  with  advantage  when 
the  ground  is  hard  with  frost.  The  pruning  of  fruit 
trees  may  be  carried  on  also. 

Such  ground  work  as  digging  and  manuring  cannot 
be  conducted  with  economy  and  safety  when  there  is 
snow  on  the  ground,  and  snow  must  never  be  dug  in. 

The  making  of  paths  and  roads  can  be  carried  on. 
Showery  weather  is  by  no  means  bad  for  this  work,  as 
the  rain  helps  to  "  bind  "  the  ballast. 

Lawns  can  be  made  in  winter  by  laying  turves  if  the 
ground  is  free  from  snow  and  not  sodden,  always  pro- 
vided that  there  is  freedom  from  frost. 

In  warm  greenhouses  Begonias,  Gloxinias,  Sweet 
Peas,  and  Lobelias  can  be  raised  from  seed  ;  and  Chrys- 
anthemums and  Winter  Carnations  can  be  propagated 
by  cuttings.  Bulbs  in  pots  must  be  kept  under  observa- 
tion, lest  they  spoil  in  the  plunging  material.  Air  and 
water  are  required  by  early  bulbs  that  are  making  free 
growth.  Tubers  of  Begonias  and  Gloxinias  may  be 
started  if  early  bloom  is  required.  Roses  may  be  potted 
and  pruned,  in  order  to  give  flowers  in  late  winter  and 
spring. 

6? 


Resuni6 


THE   OPENING   YEAR 

Little  will  be  doing  in  the  flower  garden,  beyond  Jan 
ground  work  and  turfing.  It  is  true  that  Rose  beds  and 
herbaceous  borders  may  be  planted  as  well  as  prepared, 
but  March  is  generally  a  better  planting  month  than 
January.  Any  mechanical  work,  such  as  making  fences, 
erecting  arches,  constructing  pergolas  or  building  sum- 
mer-houses may  be  pursued.  Let  it  be  remembered  that 
mere  ground  work,  such  as  forming  beds  and  borders, 
and  deepening  and  manuring  soil,  is,  however  unheroic, 
essentially  important.  On  the  quality  of  the  winter  work 
turns  the  beauty  of  the  summer  garden. 

Vines  and  Peaches  may  be  started  in  heated  fruit 
houses  if  early  crops  are  wanted,  but  in  other  cases  the 
work  will  be  merely  preparatory.  For  instance.  Vines 
may  be  pruned,  and  houses  cleansed. 

There  will  be  little  sowing  or  planting  in  the  kitchen 
garden,  but  early  Broad  Beans  and  Peas  may  be  sown  if 
the  ground  is  dry  enough.  Cucumbers,  Cauliflowers, 
Tomatoes,  Peas  (in  boxes),  French  Beans  (in  pots),  and 
Onions  may  be  sown  under  glass.  Asparagus,  Seakale, 
and  Rhubarb  may  be  forced.  Potatoes  may  be  planted 
in  pots  or  frames ;  in  the  latter  case,  Radishes  and 
Carrots  may  be  sown  between  them. 


6? 


CHAPTER  II 

MANY   BUDS,  SOME   BLOOM,   AND   THE   EARLY   BIRD 

Feb.  How  baffling  is  the  problem  of  the  birds  !  It  beats  at 
us  sharply  in  February,  because  early  flowers  are 
opening  in  warm  places — flowers  of  a  kind  that  the 
birds  find  a  peculiar  pleasure  in  pulling  to  pieces.  And 
then,  still  more  serious,  there  is  the  question  of  the  fruit 
buds.  The  fruit  lover  who  is  also  a  bird  lovertis  non- 
plussed when  sparrows  strip  his  Gooseberry  bushes  of 
their  buds,  and  finches  wanton  with  the  fat  treasure- 
houses  of  the  Pears  and  Plums.  Our  sympathies  are 
with  him,  for  we,  too,  are  gardeners,  and  we  know  how 
poignant  the  sorrow  is. 

Birds  have  multiplied  greatly  in  gardens  of  recent 
years,  partly,  perhaps,  as  a  result  of  the  Wild  Birds' 
Protection  Acts  (which  create  a  close  time),  partly  owing 
to  the  reduction  in  the  area  devoted  to  cereal  crops  on 
the  farms,  and  partly,  no  doubt,  because  gardeners 
themselves  have  multiplied,  and  obligingly  provided  a 
great  deal  more  food  than  there  used  to  be.  Of  course, 
the  Acts  do  not  debar  a  person  from  killing  birds  on 
his  own  property  if  he  thinks  proper  to  do  so,  although 
many  people  are  under  the  mistaken  impression  that 
they  do.  But  who  can  kill  a  bird  without  bitter  pangs  ? 
It  is  almost  as  bad  as  having  to  cut  down  a  tree.  I  do 
not  believe  that  birds  should  be  killed,  except  in  entirely 
special  circumstances.  The  most  that  I  can  find  it  in  my 
heart  to  say  is,  that  I  think  one  or  two  kinds  might  be 
64 


BUDS,    BLOOM,   AND   EARLY    BIRD 

reduced  to  some  extent  with  advantage.  There  is  the  Feb. 
house  sparrow,  for  example.  He  not  only  does  untold 
mischief,  but  he  obviously  glories  in  it.  His  impudent 
chirp  from  the  edge  of  the  roof  gutter  (he  is  particularly 
partial  to  this  position,  because  it  enables  him  to  cock 
his  head  about,  and  ruffle  his  feathers,  and  pretend  to 
make  swoops  down)  is  almost  as  exasperating  as  his 
vicious  habit  of  pulling  off  every  yellow  flower  that  he 
can  fasten  his  beak  on.  Then  there  is  the  blackbird. 
He  adds  to  his  sins  by  constantly  starting  up  unex- 
pectedly, and  making  you  jump  out  of  your  skin  by 
hurtling  off  with  a  piercing  shriek.  Thirdly,  there  is 
the  bullfinch.  He  neither  makes  fun  of  you  nor  startles 
you.  He  pursues  his  devious  ways  quietly  and  unob- 
trusively. But  what  a  hardened  ruffian  he  is  !  One 
healthy  bullfinch  is  calculated  to  make  the  most 
philosophical  fruit  grower  boil  with  rage,  and  to  drive 
the  meekest  amateur  to  a  shot-gun. 

Threads  strung  among  fruit  bushes  and  over  flowers 
check  birds,  while  certainly  a  spray  of  limewash  over 
fruit  trees  has  a  good  effect.  February  is  a  good  month 
for  applying  such  a  spray,  and  it  may  be  made  of  the 
right  consistency  with  the  following  ingredients  : 

A  LIME   AND   SALT   SPRAY   FOR    FRUIT   TREES 

1 8  lbs.  of  lime 
3  lbs.  of  salt 
I  lb.  of  waterglass 
8  gls.  of  water 

The  spray  will  not  only  baffle  birds,  but  will  reduce 
moss  and  scale. 

Amateurs  in  districts  where  late  frosts  are  common 
should  particularly  make  a  point  of  using  this  wash, 
because,  in  addition  to  its  virtues  as  a  cleanser  and  a 
65  E 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Feb.  circumventer  of  birds,  it  retards  the  opening  of  the 
buds,  and  tends  therefore  to  reduce  injury  from 
frost. 


Frost  and  its  Effects  on  Blossoms  and  Plants 

Speaking  of  frost,  those  who  are  forming  new 
gardens  should  bear  in  mind  the  conditions  that  make 
for  severe  frost,  and  take  care  to  avoid  putting  plants 
that  are  likely  to  suffer  the  worst  from  frost  into  situa- 
tions subjected  to  the  greatest  severity.  Contrary  to 
general  belief,  moist  vapour  near  the  earth  is  a  pre- 
ventative of  frost,  and  but  for  cold  air  sinking  down 
from  higher  altitudes  the  low  level  would  be  the  safer. 
Even  as  it  is,  it  is  generally  fairly  safe  if  there  is  a  body 
of  water  near.  Without  this  the  low  site  is  certainly 
dangerous. 

Sharp  frost  when  the  blossom  is  open  is  generally 
disastrous.  What  we  want  is  some  kind  fairy  to  spread 
her  gauzy  robe  over  our  fruit  trees  on  those  piercingly 
clear  nights  when  there  is  nothing  to  check  the  radia- 
tion of  moisture  from  the  earth.  Her  lightest  skirt 
would  serve  the  purpose  as  well  as  the  clumsiest  fabric 
which  we  could  fit  up.  But  frost  does  not  necessarily  kill 
even  tender  plants  if  they  are  thawed  properly.  The 
way  to  thaw  them  with  safety  is  to  syringe  them  with 
cold  water  in  shade,  not  to  put  them  into  a  sunny 
place. 

Feb.  FEBRUARY— First  and  Second  Weeks 

1-14 

We  must  continue  our  work  of  soil  preparation  this 

month,  and  endeavour  to  complete  all  big  alterations 
or  additions,  such  as  making  borders,  rockeries,  lawns, 
paths,  arches,  pergolas,  and  fruit  trellises. 
66 


BUDS,    BLOOM,    AND   EARLY   BIRD 


Flowers 

Verbenas. — In  the  mid- Victorian  epoch  the  Verbena 
was  one  of  the  pets  of  professional  florists,  and  it  suffered 
the  common  fate  of  being  pampered  and  coddled,  and 
cross-fertilised  and  over-propagated  until  it  became  a 
weakling,  ever  ready  to  fall  a  prey  to  a  fungus — in  this 
case  mildew.  So  it  fell  under  a  cloud.  But,  sweet  and 
pretty  flower  that  it  is,  it  was  never  forgotten,  and  it 
is  now  having  a  little  revival.  If  the  reader  decides 
to  indulge  himself  in  a  bed  of  mixed  seedlings  this  year, 
he  is  not  at  all  likely  to  regret  it.  I  advise  him  to  sow 
in  a  warm  greenhouse  early  this  month,  set  his  plants  out 
three  inches  apart  in  boxes  when  they  begin  to  crowd, 
and  harden  them  in  a  frame.  There  is  an  old  species 
of  Verbena  called  Venosa  with  a  very  uncommon  colour, 
almost  reminding  one  of  mauve  silk.  I  know  of  a  bed 
of  it  in  a  Suffolk  garden  where,  toned  by  the  shadows 
of  venerable  Yews,  it  presents  a  refined  and  soothing  con- 
trast to  the  flames  of  Begonias  and  Zonal  Geraniums. 
And  memory  recalls  a  charming  group  of  this  Verbena 
aud  white  Marguerites  in  a  garden  at  Taormina.  This 
Verbena  may  be  raised  from  seed. 

Hollyhocks. — There  are  people  in  the  world  who 
never  forget  old  flowers.  It  is  not  always  that  they  are 
old  themselves  ;  they  are  often  moved  by  an  impulse 
of  inherited  floricultural  loyalty — of  all  examples  of 
fidelity  the  most  precious.  I  know  people  who  lament 
that  the  golden  day  of  the  Hollyhock  has  passed,  merely 
from  the  recollection  of  the  joy  which  their  parents  took 
in  it  in  the  years  gone  by.  This  grand  old  flower  is 
never  likely  to  regain  the  position  which  it  once  held 
in  our  gardens,  because  the  fungoid  enemy  (doubtless 
67 


Feb. 
1-14 


Feb. 
1-14 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

brought  on  by  false  forcing  culture)  which  laid  it  low  is 
still  lurking  in  the  borders  ;  but  it  is  not  to  be  despised 
as  a  seedling  plant.  The  principal  seedsmen  sell  well- 
selected  strains,  and  the  plants  have  better  constitutions 
than  those  raised  from  cuttings.  Besides,  the  plants  are 
so  cheap  compared  with  named  varieties  that  if  the  worst 
comes  to  the  worst  the  loss  is  not  severely  felt.  By 
sowing  now  in  a  warm  house,  and  preventing  deli- 
cacy of  plant  by 
thin  culture,  abund- 
ance of  air,  early 
potting,  and  harden- 
ing in  a  frame,  a 
supply  of  vigorous 
plants  can  be 
secured  that  may 
V  be  expected  to 
bloom  the  same 
year. 

The  Gay  Carina. — 
This  brilliant  plant, 
handsome  alike  in 
its  leaves  and  in 
its  flowers,  has  been 
marvellously  de- 
veloped by  florists, 
and    one    can    but 


Fig.  25.— Propagating  Cannas. 
a.  Old  tuber  with  young  suckers  growing  at  b, 

c.  Old  tuber  covered  with  compost. 

d,  A  rooted  sucker. 


..  How  to  pot  the  sucker.     ^^^^   ^^^^  ^^^^   ^jjj 

not  impart  to  it,  by  vegetative  reproduction  and 
forcing  culture,  a  delicacy  of  constitution  that  may 
render  it  an  easy  prey  to  disease.  Seminal  reproduction, 
or  the  raising  of  plants  by  the  most  natural  of  all  pro- 
cesses— sowing  seed,  may  be  expected  to  act  as  a  safe- 
guard. It  is  true  that  we  cannot  be  sure  of  getting  the 
68 


BUDS,   BLOOM,    AND   EARLY    BIRD 

special  named  varieties  which  are   exhibited  by  florists      Feb. 
quite  true  to  type  from  seed,  but  that  is  only  a  calamity      ^~'^A 
from  the  point  of  view  of  the  specialist ;    it  does  not 
attain  to  the  dimensions  of  a  national  disaster,  such  as  is 
caused  by  the  complete  collapse  of  a  great  flower. 

The  seeds  of  Cannas  are  as  large  as  Peas,  round, 
smooth,  and  extremely  hard.  The  excessive  induration 
has  given  them  the  name  of  "  Indian  Shot,"  and  it 
militates  against  rapid  germination.  The  process  may 
be  hastened  by  soaking  the  seeds  in  water  for  a  night 
before  sowing,  and  also  by  giving  them  a  bottom  heat 
of  65°  to  70°.  The  latter  would  tend  to  make  the  plants 
tender,  but  there  is  no  difficulty  in  hardening  them,  as 
standing  them  in  an  unheated  frame  for  two  or  three 
weeks  before  planting  them  out  will  serve  that  purpose. 
By  sowing  early  in  February,  plants  can  be  had  in 
bloom  in  the  garden  the  same  year.  The  flowers  are 
as  brilliant  as  Gladioli,  and  in  rich,  deep,  moist  soil  the 
foliage  is  of  great  beauty.  Plants  may  be  increased  by 
suckers  also  (see  Fig.  25). 

Indian  Pinks. — Every  member  of  the  great  genus 
Dianthus  has  its  admirers,  and  when  we  remember  that 
it  embraces  the  Carnation,  the  White  Cottage  Pink,  and 
the  Sweet  William,  we  realise  its  great  value  and  im- 
portance. The  "Indian"  Pink  is  the  Dianthus  Chin- 
ensis  of  botanists,  and  it  came  to  us  from  China,  not 
from  India,  as  far  back  as  1713.  The  original  species 
had  a  red  flower,  but  the  plant  proved  to  have  that 
precious  quality  of  variability  on  which  florists  have 
worked  so  successfully.  One  may  now  get  several 
colours  by  buying  mixed  seed,  and  also  a  dwarfer  strain 
than  the  type,  with  equal  beauty  of  flower.  But  I  am 
not  sure  that  the  most  valuable  strain  of  Indian  Pink 
is  not  that  known  to  botanists  as  Dianthus  Heddewigii, 
69 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Feb.  or  the  Japan  Pink.  It  rarely  exceeds  six  or  eight  inches 
^"^4  high,  but  it  has  large,  fringed  flowers  with  a  good  range 
of  colours.  One  can  buy  white,  salmon,  scarlet,  and 
crimson  separately.  There  are  both  single  and  double 
types,  and  I  know  of  few  more  beautiful  plants  than 
the  double  white  Japan  Pink.  It  throws  a  few  singles, 
but  not  many,  and  the  best  of  seedsmen  cannot  eliminate 
singles  entirely — witness  ten-week  Stocks.  One  can 
also  get  the  fringed  Mikado  strain,  which  is  of  much 
taller  growth,  and  has  single  and  semi-double  flowers 
of  many  colours. 

The  Indian  and  Japan  Pinks  are  nominally  biennials — 
that  is,  plants  which  bloom  one  year  from  seed  sown  the 
previous  year,  and  die.  But  while  their  cousins,  the 
Sweet  Williams,  are  generally  treated  as  biennials,  the 
Indian  Pinks  are  grown  as  annuals,  being  flowered  the 
same  year  as  sown,  and  discarded  after  blooming.  If 
sown  in  February  in  a  greenhouse  or  warm  frame, 
hardened,  and  planted  in  May,  they  are  sure  to  bloom 
the  same  year ;  indeed,  they  will  generally  do  so  if  sown 
in  a  unheated  frame  in  March. 

Petunias. — The  Petunia  just  lacks  that  softness  which 
makes  a  flower  intimately  lovable,  but  it  has  such  bright- 
ness and  freedom  of  blooming  as  to  win  popularity. 
And  will  it  not  flower  cheerfully  in  somewhat  unfavour- 
able circumstances — in  poor  soil,  for  example  ?  It  will 
do  so ;  indeed,  some  growers  go  so  far  as  to  declare 
that  it  is  best  put  into  poor  earth,  because  luxuriance  of 
growth  is  checked,  and  a  natural  tendency  to  flower- 
ing thereby  engendered.  It  is,  of  course,  the  fact  that 
flowering,  as  a  step  towards  Nature's  great  object  of 
reproduction,  is  encouraged  by  weak  growth.  If  a  plant 
is  not  vigorous,  Nature  hastens  to  get  flower  and  seed 
out  of  it,  lest  it  perish  barren.  But  we  generally  get 
70 


The  Jatanese  Pink,  Dianthus  Heddewigii,  i;ro\vn  as  an  annual 
i'ko.m  seed  sown  the  same  year. 


BUDS,   BLOOM,   AND   EARLY   BIRD 

bigger  flowers  from  strong  plants  than  from  weak  ones,      Feb. 
and  certainly,  so  far  as  Petunias  are  concerned,  I  do  not      I~I4 
believe  that   poor,  dry  soil    is   better   than   rich,  moist 
mould,  because  I  have  proved  the  contrary. 

We  like  to  grow  Petunias  both  in  garden  and  green- 
house, and  the  seedsmen,  who  watch  over  us  with  a 
fatherly  solicitude,  and  extract  shillings  and  half-crowns 
from  us  with  a  paternal  air,  give  us  "  strains "  suitable 
for  either  purpose.  Turn  to  the  Petunia  page  in  the 
catalogue  of  a  prominent  seedsman,  and  you  will  nearly 
always  find  two,  and  generally  three,  sections.  There 
is  (i)  Double  Fringed^  which  is  the  one  for  pots ;  it  can 
always  be  bought  in  mixture,  and  often  in  separate 
colours  also.  I  cannot  admit  a  personal  predilection 
for  the  dark-coloured  sorts,  but  the  pink,  and  the  pink 
with  white,  are  pretty ;  while  as  for  the  pure  white  fringed, 
it  is  a  glorious  plant  for  the  amateur's  greenhouse. 
There  is  (2)  the  Bedding  Single,  which  may  be  rose 
white,  striped,  or  mixed,  and  is  of  dwarf,  neat  habit. 
The  rose  is  particularly  good ;  it  has  a  clear  white 
eye,  and  is  charming  as  a  flower,  as  well  as  beautiful 
as  a  plant.  Finally,  there  is  (3)  the  Large  Floweritig 
Single,  which  may  have  plain  or  fringed  flowers,  and 
may  be  white,  rose,  crimson,  striped,  scarlet,  or  mixed 
in  colour. 

Early  February  is  a  good  time  to  raise  all  the 
Petunias,  whether  for  indoors  or  not,  and  they  may  be 
treated  as  advised  for  other  small  seeds  in  the  first 
chapter. 

Stocks  for  Pots. — Do  amateurs  in  general  know  the 
East  Lothian  Stock,  I  wonder  ?  It  is  a  form  of  the 
Intermediate,  a  dwarf  Stock  of  neat  habit,  the  special 
value  of  which  lies  in  the  fact  that  it  will  bloom  under 
glass   in   winter   and   spring,   if    raised   from   seed   th^ 

7^ 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 

Feb.  previous  summer.  It  is  because  they  generally  bloom 
I~I4  the  year  following  the  sowing  that  the  Intermediate 
Stocks  are  often  described  as  biennials,  but  if  they  are 
sown  in  February  or  March  they  will  flower  the  same 
year,  and  therefore  they  are  annuals.  Every  owner  of  a 
greenhouse  who  loves  bright  and  fragrant  Stocks  should 
make  the  acquaintance  of  the  East  Lothian  section.  He 
can  buy  in  separate  colours,  such  as  pink,  scarlet,  crim- 
son, and  white,  or  in  mixture.  By  sowing  this  month  in 
a  warm  house,  one  gets  plants  in 
bloom  by  mid-summer.  The 
same  treatment  as  for  other 
seedlings  raised  in  winter  will 
suffice,  but  particular  attention 
must  be  paid  to  watering  and 
ventilating,  as  young  Stocks  are 
of  all  plants  the  most  ready  to 
"  damp  off." 

Imported  Japanese  Lilies. — The 

golden-rayed  Lilium  Auratum  is 

rather  dear  in  autumn,  because 

the    only    bulbs    available    then 

are  English.     The  Japanese  can 

grow  the  Lilies  much  cheaper  than  we,  but  they  cannot 

get  their  bulbs  to  us  until  winter.     Imported  bulbs  are 

generally  plentiful  and  cheap  in   February.     They  are 

procurable  from  bulb  merchants,  who  advertise  in  the 

horticultural    papers,  and   also    at   auction   sales.    The 

defect  of  these  bulbs  is  that  they  are  sometimes  loose 

and  soft,  but  that  is  not  fatal  to  flowering  unless  they  are 

downright  spongy.     A  batch  of  importations  often  yield 

different  types  of  flower.    If  the  grower  gets  a  good  pure 

white  he  has  a  treasure.     The  large  while,  with  crimson 

spots,  called   Platyphyllum,  is  very  fine,  and  so  is  the 

72 


Fig.  26.— Potting  Liliums. 

a.  Crocks  for  drainage. 

b.  Bulb  potted. 

c.  Space   left   for  future    top- 

dressing. 


BUDS,    BLOOM,   AND   EARLY    BIRD 

red-barred  Rubro-Vittatum.  Wittei  is  pure  white.  The  Feb. 
amateur  may  wish  to  grow  the  Lihes  for  his  conserva-  ^~H 
tory,  and  if  so  he  had  better  put  them  low  down  in 
7-inch  or  8-inch  pots,  and  barely  cover  them  with  soil 
until  they  are  growing  freely  and  pushing  stem  roots, 
when  he  can  fill  up  the  pots  nearly  to  the  top.  It  is 
a  very  good  plan  with  these,  as  with  nearly  all  bulbs,  to 
keep  them  under  cocoa-nut  fibre  for  six  weeks  after 
potting,  in  order  to  give  the  roots  a  chance  of  spreading 
before  the  stem  growth  makes  great  demands  upon 
them.  A  soil  made  up  of  three  parts  loam,  one  part 
decayed  manure,  one  part  peat,  and  a  liberal  mixture  of 
coarse  sand  suits  the  Japanese  Lily.  One  finds  that  such 
an  addition  to  garden  soil,  if  the  latter  is  stiff,  helps  the 
plants  immensely  when  they  are  grown  out  of  doors  ;  at 
the  least  some  sand  should  be  put  in  the  hole. 

T/ie  Fern-like  Grevtllea. — One  is  often  asked  "  the 
name  of  this  fern "  by  amateurs  who  show  a  tallish, 
graceful  plant,  with  much  cut  (laciniated)  leaves,  which 
they  are  growing  in  the  greenhouse  or  conservatory.  It 
is  not  a  fern,  but  an  Australian  evergreen  shrub  named 
Grevillea  Robusta,  after  one  Greville.  It  bears  orange - 
coloured  flowers  in  early  summer,  but  nobody  grows  it 
for  the  sake  of  the  blossoms.  Gardeners  like  to  arrange 
it  with  flowering  plants  in  conservatories.  It  is  very 
handsome,  and  gives  little  trouble,  requiring  no  care 
beyond  watering  and  ventilating.  Most  seedsmen  supply 
the  Grevillea,  and  early  February  is  a  good  time  to  sow. 
It  likes  a  warm,  moist  house  from  the  first.  Dryness, 
either  at  the  root  or  in  the  atmosphere,  is  distasteful 
to  it. 

Streptocarpuses. — The  up-to-date  amateur  has  already 
learned  that  the  Streptocarpus  is  one  of  the  modern  pets 
of  professional  florists,  who  have  given  it  larger  flowers 
73 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Feb.  and  richer  colours.  He  has  also  learned  to  pronounce 
^"^4  its  rather  formidable  name,  which  comes  from  streptos, 
twisted,  and  carpos,  fruit,  and  is  rather  proud  of  mention- 
ing it  accordingly.  The  Streptocarpuses  are  East  or 
South  African  plants,  with  broad,  thick,  drooping  leaves, 
reminiscent  of  Gloxinias,  but,  I  think,  more  handsome. 
The  flowers  are  not  so  large  as  those  of  Gloxinias, 
nor  is  the  range  of  colours  so  wide,  but  they  are  undeni- 
ably beautiful  ;  and  the  blues,  mauves,  and  lavenders 
are  exquisite  shades  which  the  Gloxinia,  with  all  its 
beauty,  cannot  equal.  To  get  strong  flowering  plants  in 
June  onwards,  seed  of  Streptocarpuses  should  be  sown 
in  a  warm  house  during  the  present  month.  It  germi- 
nates readily  in  a  temperature  of  60°  to  65°.  As  the 
Streptocarpus  is  a  tuberous  plant,  it  grows  somewhat 
slowly  in  its  early  stages,  but  still  it  can  be  flowered 
within  six  months  from  the  sowing  if  warmth  and 
moisture  are  available. 

Achhnenes  for  Baskets. — I  have  not  yet  said  what 
beautiful  basket  plants  the  Achimenes  are,  nor  how 
quickly  a  spreading  mass  of  brilliant  bloom  can  be 
produced  by  inserting  tubercles  in  mid-winter.  Of 
course  one  can  buy  seed,  but  seedsmen  rarely  specialise 
it  as  they  do  Gloxinias,  Begonias,  and  the  like  ;  and  as 
the  tubercles  are  quite  cheap,  only  costing  three  to  five 
shillings  per  dozen,  there  is  no  serious  obstacle  on  the 
score  of  cost.  The  plants  never  look  better  than  when 
growing  out  of  the  open  sides  and  from  the  top  of  an 
ornamental  wire  basket  suspended  from  the  roof  of  a 
greenhouse  or  conservatory.  How  are  they  made  to 
grow  thus  ?  By  the  simple  plan  of  first  lining  the 
basket  to  prevent  the  earth  falling  through,  putting  a 
layer  of  soil  in  and  laying  tubercles  on  it  about  every 
three  inches  round  the  side  of  the  basket  j  then  more 
74 


BUDS,    BLOOM,    AND   EARLY   BIRD 

soil,  more  tubercles,  and  so  on  if  the  basket  is  large.  If  Feb. 
the  baskets  which  are  to  accommodate  the  Achimenes  I~I4 
are  occupied  by  some  other  plant,  such  as  the  lovely 
flowering  Begonia,  Gloire  de  Lorraine,  at  the  present 
time,  the  difficulty  can  be  got  over  by  starting  the  former 
in  pans  or  boxes,  and  transplanting  them  to  the  baskets 
later  on. 

Abutilons  for  Pillars. — The  flowering  Abutilon  (I  use 
this  term  to  distinguish  it  from  the  species  grown  for 
their  foliage,  such  as  Vexillarium),  is  not  an  ideal  plant 
for  small  houses,  owing  to  its  loose  and  straggly  growth ; 
but  it  comes  in  useful  for  larger  structures.  If  the  con- 
servatory roof  is  supported  by  pillars,  the  latter  may  be 
used  as  supports  for  various  plants,  amongst  them  Abu- 
tilons. The  flowers  are  bell-shaped,  and  there  is  a  good 
variety  of  colour  amongst  them.  They  can  be  got  in 
few  months  by  sowing  seed  in  a  warm  house  at  the  pre- 
sent time,  and  the  plant  is  not  likely  to  cause  any  anxiety, 
even  during  babyhood,  as  it  is  a  free  and  healthy  grower. 

The  Marechal  Niel  on  the  Greenhouse  Roof. — I  am  not 
sure  that  we  see  it  so  often  as  we  used  to  do,  that  ram- 
pant, strong-caned,  glorious  Marechal  Niel.  A  good 
many  of  the  plants  have  died  out  through  canker,  and 
their  places  have  not  been  filled.  Probably  if  Rose 
lovers  were  asked  about  the  rare  old  Marechal,  with  its 
great  golden  flowers  (they  are  not  really  gold-coloured, 
of  course,  but  "golden"  has  an  impressive  sound)  and 
its  powerful  fragrance,  they  would  say  that  they  loved  it 
as  deeply  as  ever.  In  the  abstract  they  do,  but  in  the 
concrete  they  let  it  slip  away,  because  their  attention  is 
fixed  on  novelties.  Many  people  undoubtedly  lose  in- 
terest in  a  plant  that  is  given  to  dying  away  abruptly 
without  any  apparent  reason.  See  how  the  Apricot  is 
falling  into  disfavour.  With  all  the  beautiful  Roses 
75 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 

Feb.  which  have  been  introduced  during  the  past  few  years, 
I~I4  there  is  no  improved  Mar^chal  Niel  ;  it  still  stands 
alone  ;  and  this  being  so,  there  certainly  ought  not  to 
be  any  fear  of  its  dropping  out  of  the  ranks.  It  is 
really  more  suited  for  a  cool  conservatory  than  a  heated 
greenhouse,  as  winter  warmth  pushes  it  into  growth 
too  soon  ;  and  this  is  a  point  which  its  lovers  should 
bear  in  mind.  It  ought  to 
be  dormant  till  March,  then  it 
will  bloom  in  April  and  May. 
During  those  months  a  really 
strong  plant  may  give  two  or 
three  hundred  flowers,  as  it 
not  only  bears  abundantly  but 
continuously.  A  deep  root 
run  of  turfy  loam  favours 
strong  growth.  The  cutting 
back  of  long  canes  to  the  stock 
after  flowering  is  good,  and  it 
is  a  pity  that  growers  of  the 
Mardchal  do  not  take  their 
courage  in  one  hand,  and  a 
sharp  knife  in  the  other,  and 
hack  the  plant  right  back 
directly  it  goes  out  of  flower. 
It  is  pure  butchery,  of  course.  There  is  no  nicely  balanced 
skill  or  delicate  craftsmanship  about  it.  Any  pig-sticker 
could  make  a  neat  job  of  it.  And  put  in  this  brutally 
plain  way,  the  operation  really  does  seem  disagreeable. 
You  prune,  so  to  say,  by  the  lineal  rod.  You  bare  whole 
yards  of  roof.  You  litter  the  place  with  a  distressing 
tangle  of  stems  and  leaves.  When  you  have  done,  you 
feel  as  guilty  as  if  you  had  poked  your  walking-stick 
through  a  picture  (more  than  once  I  have  dreamed  that 
76 


-Pruning  Marshal 
Niel  Rose. 

a.  Old  branch  to  be  cut  out  after 

flowering. 

b.  The    unripe    tips    of    young 

branches   to   be   cut   off  in 
Spring. 


BUDS,    BLOOM,   AND   EARLY    BIRD 

I  have  done  this  at  Burlington  House,  and  that  I  have  Feb. 
been  ejected  with  ignominy).  And  you  tremble  lest  ^"H 
your  wife  should  come  in  before  you  have  sneaked  into 
the  rear  with  the  spoil,  and  surreptitiously  burnt  it.  But 
look  ahead  a  few  weeks  (you  cannot  get  your  wife  to  do 
this,  because  it  is  against  her  principles,  and  so  she  had 
better  know  nothing  about  it  beforehand),  and  see  the 
magnificent  new  canes  that  almost  leap  out  of  the  gnarled 
stumps,  as  gauze-clad  figures  leap  out  of  tree  trunks  and 
huge  shells  in  the  pantomimes.  A  couple  of  months,  and 
you  have  new  yards  of  canes,  new  breadths  of  foliage. 
The  golden  days  of  late  summer  partially  brown  the 
shoots,  and  so  you  get  the  condition  of  maturity  which 
the  gardener  speaks  of  as  "ripe  wood."  Abundance  of 
fine  flowers  follow  in  the  ensuing  spring. 

Zonal  and  Ivy-Leaved  Geraniums. — Although  the  Zonal 
Geranium  is  supposed  to  have  declined  as  a  garden  plant 
(as  a  matter  of  fact,  it  has  not  done  anything  of  the  kind), 
it  is  reputed  to  have  increased  in  favour  as  a  winter 
flower  for  the  greenhouse.  I  believe  this,  although  I  do 
not  believe  the  other.  A  burst  of  Geraniums  is  apt  to 
raise  such  a  colour  racket  in  the  summer  sunshine  as  to 
annoy  you  like  a  red  brick  house.  But  it  is  another 
matter  on  a  grey  winter  day,  with  the  air  full  of  fog. 
Then  one  wants  to  be  cheered  first  of  all ;  that  is  the 
primary  consideration.  Few  winter-blooming  plants  are 
more  invigorating  than  the  Zonal  Geranium.  It  has  the 
same  inspiriting  effect  on  an  amateur  gardener  as  a  foot- 
ball cup-tie  has  on  a  Sheffield  cutler.  But  there  is  less 
noise  about  it  !  If  cuttings  of  Zonals  are  put  in  now  the 
plants  resulting  therefrom  will  bloom  next  autumn  and 
winter.  They  may  try  to  flower  before,  but  the  attempt 
should  be  suppressed  by  picking  out  the  young  trusses, 
A  temperature  of  50°  to  55°  is  desirable. 
77 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Feb.  The  Ivy-leaved  section  is  as  useful  for  autumn  bloom- 

^"^4  ing  as  the  Zonal  is  for  winter,  and  it  may  also  be  increased 
by  cuttings  inserted  now.  In  both  cases  soil  containing 
a  great  deal  of  sand  should  be  used. 

Among  the  Garden  Shrubs. — It  is  often  convenient  to 
dig  shrubberies  at  this  time  of  year,  because  there  is  no 
urgent  current  work,  and  it  is  a  good  time,  too,  provided 
that  the  soil  is  not  snow-bound,  nor  so  wet  as  to  clog  the 
tools.  Of  course  there  are  shrubberies  and  shrubberies. 
There  are  shrubberies  in  the  open  and  shrubberies  under 
trees.  The  gardener  is  not  likely  to  do  much  digging 
among  the  latter,  because  the  soil  is  too  full  of  large 
roots.  The  fact  that  certain  shrubs,  notably  Aucubas, 
thrive  under  trees  (some  of  the  largest,  handsomest,  and 
best  berried  Aucubas  which  I  know  of  are  growing 
under  large  evergreen  trees)  might  lead  one  to  suppose 
that  shrubbery-digging  is  not  advantageous.  I  think  it 
is,  provided  it  is  done  by  sensible  workmen  using  a  fork. 
A  foolish  person  armed  with  a  spade  might  easily  do 
more  harm  than  good. 

Shrubs  differ  as  greatly  in  their  root  systems  as  in 
their  branches.  Aucubas  make  a  great,  close  mass  of 
thick,  fleshy  roots.  So  does  the  Box.  The  Cypresses 
and  Pines  (trees  really,  but  commonly  used  as  shrubs) 
have  more  spreading  and  fibrous  roots.  Those  shrubs 
which  have  the  thickest  mat  of  fibres  move  best,  and  can 
be  planted  at  any  time  ;  but  February  and  March  suit 
the  majority.  While  evergreen  shrubs  are  needed  for 
quick  screens,  deciduous  kinds  should  be  worked  in 
among  them,  partly  for  the  effect  of  the  delightful 
feathery  film  of  greenery  which  they  fling  out  in  spring, 
and  partly  for  the  flowers  which  follow.  The  Spiraeas 
are  particularly  good  from  the  former  point  of  view,  and 
ought  to  be  made  much  use  of.  The  Mock  Oranges 
78 


BUDS,    BLOOM,   AND   EARLY    BIRD 

(Philadelphus)  are  also  graceful.  As  for  the  Flowering  Feb. 
Currant  (Ribes),  it  no  sooner  begins  to  grow  than  it  1-14 
blooms.  There  are  two  beautiful  and  little-grown  flower- 
ing shrubs  which  the  reader  may  be  advised  to  take  note 
of  as  under  improvement  by  nurserymen,  and  they  are 
the  Ceanothus  and  the  Buddleia.  Most  shrubs  flower  in 
spring,  but  these  are  summer  bloomers,  and  in  good  soil 
will  be  at  their  best  in  August  probably.  I  ought  to  say 
of  the  Buddleia  that  it  is  the  species  Variabilis,  and  not 
Globosa,  which  I  have  in  mind.  The  latter  bears  little 
orange  balls,  and  is  both  quaint  and  pretty,  but  it 
cannot  vie  in  beauty  with  the  former,  which  bears  its 
inflorescence  in  large  cones. 

The  Ranunculus.  —  The  old-time  Scottish  kailyard 
knew  the  Ranunculus  better  than  Sassenach  gardens 
know  it  now.  I  think  its  day  is  past,  but  February  is 
the  time  for  those  to  plant  it  who  consider  that  its  bright 
colours  and  neat  form  render  it  worthy  of  a  place  in  the 
garden. 

Fruit 

What  was  said  of  January,  as  regards  planting,  applies 
also  to  February ;  but  I  would  rather  plant  in  February 
than  January  if,  from  one  cause  or  other,  fruit  trees  had 
to  be  put  in  before  March.  The  ground  generally 
crumbles  better.  Note,  however,  that  the  condition  of 
the  soil  is  the  real  guide.  If  the  ground  is  dry  enough 
to  crumble  readily,  January  planting  is  satisfactory.  Re- 
garding fruit  tree  planting  as  essentially  dry  weather 
work,  I  would  say :  Get  your  trees  as  soon  as  you  can, 
and  lay  them  in  some  sheltered  place  with  loose  earth 
over  their  roots  to  keep  them  safe  from  frost,  but  do  not 
put  them  in  their  final  positions  until  the  soil  is  sufficiently 
dry  to  fall  readily  off  the  tools  when  turned  up.  There 
79 


THE    GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 

Feb.      can  hardly  be  such  a  thing  as  soil  being  too    dry  in 

^"^4      winter. 

Methods  of  Plartting  Fruit. — Modern  opinion,  seems 
undecided  on  the  question  of  deepening  soil  for  fruit  by 
bastard  trenching,  as  gardeners  do  for  vegetables  (see 
remarks  in  the  January  chapter).  Some  growers  hold 
the  view  that  the  circumstances  of  fruit  and  vegetable 
growing  are  so  essentially  different  that  the  one  is  of  no 
value  as  a  guide  to  the  other.  There  is  something  in 
this.  Nearly  all  vegetables  are  annual  crops,  and  the 
ground  on  which  they  grow  is  regularly  broken,  so  that 
after  it  has  once  been  stirred  deeply  it  has  no  chance  of 
settling  down  again  into  the  solid  mass  which  was  its 
state  before  cultivation  began.  Fruit  trees  are  permanent 
crops.  Such  tillage  as  they  are  subjected  to  is  confined 
to  shallow  digging  with  a  fork,  and  consequently  the 
ground  is  liable  to  become  compacted  again  two  or 
three  years  after  planting.  But  I  am  not  prepared  to 
admit  that  the  labour  of  loosening  the  under  soil  is 
necessarily  wasted  because  the  ground  thus  settles  back. 
If  the  work  has  the  effect  of  giving  the  tree  a  good  start, 
it  is  repaid. 

On  two  points,  however,  there  ought  not  to  be  any 
division  of  opinion — the  value  of  firm  planting  and  of 
surface  manuring.  The  former  is  desirable  because  it 
brings  about  that  intimate  association  between  root  and 
soil  which  is  so  essential  for  root  formation,  and  the 
latter  tends  to  keep  the  roots  near  the  surface. 

Human  nature  is  very  trying  with  regard  to  its  fruit 
trees.  Persuade  a  man  to  plant  his  trees  wide  apart,  in 
order  to  give  them  plenty  of  room,  and  he  will  probably  go 
and  intercrop  close  up  to  the  stems  with  vegetables,  over- 
looking the  fact  that  vegetables  absorb  the  same  kind  of 
food  as  fruit,  and  will  certainly  rob  the  trees.  This  is  a 
80 


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^  "^^^ 

WORCESIEK  PeARMAIN,  A  VALUABLE  EARLY  DESSERT  APPLE; 
THE  TREE  IS  A  HEALTHY  GROWER,  AND  A  PROLIFIC  BEARER. 
Ir   IS  AN   EXCELLEN  ]■   SORT   FOR   A  SMALL  GARDEN,   TO  PRECEDE 

Cox's  Orange  Tippin. 


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BUDS,    BLOOM,    AND    EARLY    BIRD 

common  mistake  in  kitchen  gardens,  where  fruit  trees  are      Feb. 
often  planted  round  the  outside  of  the  vegetable  borders,      I-I4 
and  it  is  often  made  in  orchards,  where  large  trees  are 
intercropped  with  smaller  ones,  and  the  latter  again  with 
Raspberries  and  Strawberries.     To  put  things  into  plain, 
workaday  figures,  let  me  suggest  the  following  : 

No  standard  trees  to  be  planted  nearer  to  each  other  than  24  feet 
„   half-standard        „  „  „  „  12     „ 

"   b"sh  „  „  „  „  9    „ 

„    soft  fruit  bushes    „  „  „  „  4^  „ 

„   Vegetables  „  „  „     the  trees  than  3J  „ 

Where  fruit  trees  of  different  classes  are  mixed  in  an 
orchard,  it  is  an  excellent  plan  to  work  as  follows: 

Standard  trees         ....        30  feet  apart 
Half-standards  or  bushes       .        .         15        „ 
Soft  fruit  bushes     ....  7^      » 

And  until  the  latter  grow  out  and  require  all  the  ground, 
Vegetables  or  Strawberries  can  be  grown  down  the 
centres  of  the  spaces,  so  that  they  would  be  3f  feet  away 
from  the  fruit  bushes. 

In  small  gardens,  amateurs  would  find  it  a  good  plan 
to  adopt  the  rule  of  cropping  no  nearer  to  fruit  trees, 
whether  on  walls,  wires,  or  in  open  rows,  than  four  feet. 

Staking  Fruit  Trees, — Amateurs,  who  are  not  in  the 
way  of  providing  every  kind  of  accessory  required  in 
gardening,  are  often  bothered  by  what,  with  the  large 
grower,  is  a  commonplace  thing.  Thus,  when  they  are 
told  that  if  they  plant  standard  trees  they  must  provide 
stakes  for  them,  they  are  apt  to  feel  troubled,  because 
they  do  not  know  what  kind  of  stakes  to  use,  nor  where 
to  get  them,  nor  how  to  deal  with  them.  The  amateur 
sees  brooms  in  the  oilman's  shop,  and  rakes  in  the  iron- 
monger's, but  neither  the  oilman  nor  the  ironmonger 
81  F 


Feb. 
I-14 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

exhibits  fruit-tree  stakes.  In  the  country  the  village 
haulier  (who  may  also  be  your  coal  merchant)  can 
generally  advise;  and  in 
the  suburbs  a  builder  might 
help,  but  it  is  just  as  well 
to  try  the  nurseryman  from 
whom  the  trees  are  brought. 
Ash  stakes  eight  feet  long, 
sharpened  and  soaked  in 
creosote  at  the  base,  will 
answer  the  purpose.  They 
should  be  driven  well  down 
at  the  same  time  as  the 
trees  are  put  in,  and  rammed 
in  with  the  trees,  then  they 
will  be  quite  tight.  The 
amateur  should  not  forget 
to  put  a  pad  at  the  top, 
so  that  neither  the  edge  of 
the  stake  top,  nor  the  tying 
material,  can  injure  the 
bark.  It  is  only  standard 
trees — that  is,  trees  with  long  stems — which  need 
staking. 

Wall  and  Wire- Frame  Trees, — I  have  already  men- 
tioned that  flat,  trained  trees  are  very  suitable  for  walls 
and  wire  frameworks  beside  paths.  I  certainly  think  that 
every  amateur  gardener  who  has  a  quarter  of  an  acre  of 
ground  should  make  a  point  of  growing  a  selection  of 
Apples  and  Pears,  if  nothing  else.  My  two  points  about 
the  upright  cordon  tree  (see  Chapter  I.) :  that  it  takes  up 
very  little  room,  and  that  a  number  of  varieties  might  be 
planted  in  a  very  small  area,  may  be  supplemented  by  a 
third  :  that  it  is  cheap.  These  trees  do  quite  well  two 
82 


Fig.  28.— Staking  Fruit  Trees. 

a.  Stake  driven  in  without  damaging 

the  roots. 

b.  How  to  secure  the  stem  to  the 

stake. 

c.  How  to  make   the  head   of   the 

tree  fast  to  the  stake. 


BUDS,    BLOOM,   AND   EARLY    BIRD 

feet  apart.  The  following  varieties  should  be  grown, 
whatever  others  are  liked,  because  they  have  general 
qualities  : 


Feb. 
1-14 


Dessert  Apples 
Gladstone 
Beauty  of  Bath 
Worcester  Pearmain 
James  Grieve 
Cox's  Orange  Pippin 
Baumann's  Winter  Reinette 

Cooking  Apples 
Lord  Grosvenor 
Lord  Derby 
Peasgood's  Nonsuch 
Lane's  Prince  Albert 
Newton  Wonder 
Bramley's  Seedling 


Pears 

Jargonelle 
Clapp's  Favourite 
Williams'  Bon  Chretien 
Beurre  Hardy 
Emile  d'Heyst 
Louise  Bonne  of  Jersey 
Doyenne  du  Cornice 
Beurre  Diel 
Winter  Nelis 
Josephine  de  Malines 


Cooking  Pear 
Catillac 


The  above  varieties  are  approximately  in  the  order  of 
their  ripening. 

I  give  prominence  to  Apples  and  Pears  because  they 
are  the  most  in  demand,  but  a  few  Plums  and  Cherries 
may  be  added  with  advantage  where  space  permits. 
These,  however,  do  better  as  fan  trees  than  single  stem 
cordons,  and  where  fans  are  used  there  should  be  more 
wires  on  the  trellis  ;  in  fact,  beginning  at  two  feet  from  the 
ground,  they  should  be  placed  a  foot  apart  right  to  the 
top.    The  varieties  might  be  ; 


Dessert  Plums 
Early  Transparent  Gage 
Denniston's  Superb 
Late  Transparent  Gage 
Kirke's 
Jefferson's 
Coe's  Golden  Drop 


Cooking  Plums 
Rivers'  Early  Prolific 
The  Czar 
Victoria 

Gisborne's  Prolific 
Monarch 
President 


83 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 


Feb. 

Dessert  Cherries 

Cooking  Cherries 

1-14 

May  Duke 

Flemish  Red 

Napoleon  Bigarreau 

Morello 

Governor  Wood 

One  sees  Gooseberries  more  and  more  used  as 
trained  trees,  and  they  yield  their  finest  fruit  when 
restricted  to  two  or  three  branches,  which  are  allowed 
to  extend  several  feet,  and  are  pruned  by  stopping  the 
side  shoots  in  summer  and  cutting  them  close  back  in 
late  winter.  Such  trees  can  be  trained  on  a  wall  or  a 
wire  framework  the  same  as  cordon  Apples  and  Pears. 
If  selected  varieties  are  grown,  the  fruit  will  grow  as 
large  as  Walnuts,  and  often  bring  a  special  price  when 
offered  for  sale  at  the  best  town  shops.  These  very  large 
fruits  are  not  generally  the  best  in  flavour,  however. 
Several  of  the  small  Gooseberries  are  quite  delicious  as 
dessert  fruits.  Here  are  selections  to  embrace  various 
types  : 

Large  Gooseberries  Fine-Flavoured  Gooseberries 

Antagonist  Bright  Venus 

Dan's  Mistake  Langley  Beauty 

London  Langley  Gage 

Trumpeter  Red  Champagne 

Gooseberries  for  Tarts 
Crown  Bob 
Whinham's  Industry 

All  may  be  grown  as  bushes  or  trained  trees. 

Red  and  White  Currants  are  also  grown  on  the  flat 
system  against  walls  and  wires,  being  pruned  the  same 
as  Gooseberries.  They  do  not  object,  nor  does  the 
Gooseberry,  to  a  north  or  east  wall.  The  Black  Currants 
are  not  so  suitable,  and  if  they  were  grown  as  trained 
trees  at  all  they  would  have  to  be  grown  as  fans,  so  that 
84 


BUDS,    BLOOM,    AND   EARLY   BIRD 

young  wood  could  be  tied  in,  like  Peaches.  The  follow-  Feb. 
ing  are  good  varieties  and  they  are  also  suitable  for  I-I4 
culture  as  bushes  : 

Red  Currant  White  Currant  Black  Currant 

Raby  Castle  White  Versailles  Boskoop  Giant 

Raspberries  are  often  trained  to  wires,  but  a  lofty 
framework,  such  as  is  used  for  the  larger  fruits,  would 
be  partially  wasted  on  them.  They  do  not  need  more 
than  two  wires  at  the  most,  one  a  yard  from  the  ground, 
the  other  eighteen  inches  higher ;  and  they  are  more 
often  restricted  to  one  only,  four  feet  above  the  ground. 
Canes  may  be  planted  in  February,  and  cut  back  near  the 
ground. 

Good  Raspberries 
Antwerp  Superlative 

Strawberries. — February  is  often  a  good  month  for 
planting  Strawberries,  and  whether  it  is  good  or  bad 
turns  principally  on  the  weather  and  the  state  of  the 
soil,  just  as  in  the  case  of  sowing  seeds.  I  advise 
the  intending  planter  to  order  what  he  wants,  anyhow, 
then  he  will  have  the  plants  by  him,  and  can  put  them 
in  at  the  first  favourable  opportunity.  They  will  come 
in  small  pots,  and  if  the  weather  should  turn  very  bad, 
with  much  frost  and  snow,  after  they  arrive,  it  is  a  simple 
matter  to  stack  the  pots  in  a  heap  on  their  sides,  in  which 
position  they  will  be  perfectly  safe.  I  have  referred  to 
the  difference  of  opinion  which  exists  respecting  the 
value  of  breaking  ground  deeply  for  fruit  trees.  I  do 
not  suppose  that  it  extends  to  the  Strawberry.  There  is 
probably  only  one  opinion  about  preparing  the  ground 
for  them,  and  that  is  to  break  it  up  as  deeply  as  possible, 
and  manure  it  well  in  the  process.  Four  pounds  of 
sulphate  of  potash  per  square  rod  will  make  a  valuable 
85 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Feb.  addition  to  whatever  yard  manure  is  used,  and  a  special 
^  point  should  be  made  of  using  this  valuable  chemical 
fertiliser  on  light  soil,  which  is  probably  poor  in  potash. 
Although  Strawberries  are  often  planted  among  fruit 
trees,  in  order  to  make  some  use  of  the  ground  while 
the  trees  are  growing  up,  it  is  more  convenient  to  form 
a  bed  of  them,  because  of  strawing  the  rows  when  the 
fruit  has  formed.  Growers  agree  as  to  the  desirability 
of  giving  Strawberry  plants  plenty  of  room,  and  gene- 
rally plant  them  thirty  inches  apart  by  eighteen.  When 
small  plants  are  put  in  late,  and  do  not  promise  to  fill 
out  their  space  the  first  year,  it  is  permissible  to  grow 
Lettuces  and  Onions  between  the  rows  for  one  year  ; 
but  in  case  of  doubt  the  amateur  should  always  err  on 
the  safe  side,  and  give  the  Strawberries  all  the  room. 

Good  Strawberries 
Royal  Sovereign  Reward  Laxton's  Latest 

The  first  named  is  as  valuable  for  forcing  in  pots 
as  for  forming  an  outdoor  bed,  and  I  may  take  the 
opportunity  of  saying  that  those  who  have  strong  plants 
in  pots — plants  with  a  plump  central  "  crown,"  not  little 
tufts  with  three  or  four  leaves  only — may  put  them  into 
a  house  now.  A  temperature  of  60°  to  65°  is  advisable, 
but  where  the  amateur  has  a  cool  house  and  a  warm 
one,  or  a  cold  frame  and  a  heated  house,  it  is  wise  to  put 
the  plants  into  the  cooler  place  for  a  fortnight,  and  so 
prepare  them  for  the  warmer  conditions.  With  strong 
plants,  and  plenty  of  heat,  there  is  a  natural  temptation 
to  push  the  plants  on  as  fast  as  possible,  but  hard  forcing 
sometimes  results  in  the  plants  refusing  to  bloom.  They 
are  benefited  by  a  very  light  position,  such  as  a  shelf 
close  to  the  roof  glass.  The  worst  that  can  happen  to 
them  there  is  that  the  soil  may  become  dry,  and  this 
86 


BUDS,    BLOOM,   AND   EARLY    BIRD 

should  be  guarded  against  by  making  a  rule  to  examine  Feb. 
them  at  least  once  a  day.  The  opening  of  a  number  I-I4 
of  flowers  on  each  plant  may  be  taken  as  an  indication 
that  all  is  well,  and  the  work  may  be  consummated  by 
watching  for  the  time  when  the  pollen  on  the  anthers 
is  dry,  and  then  drawing  a  camel's-hair  brush  across 
flower  after  flower,  thus  insuring  impregnation.  If  all 
the  flowers  set,  so  that  the  plant  becomes  crowded 
with  fruit,  it  will  be  prudent  to  remove  some,  thinning 
down  to  eight  or  nine  berries,  which  will  then  swell  to 
a  considerable  size. 

Peaches  and  Nectarines. — Culturally,  these  delicious 
fruits  count  as  one,  whether  grown  out  of  doors  or  under 
glass.  They  are  not  really  so  hardy  as  Apples  and 
Pears,  but  then  they  are  very  rarely  grown  quite  in  the 
open,  they  have  the  shelter  of  walls.  Even  so  they  may 
fail  if  the  position  is  exposed  to  cold  winds,  because 
when  chilled  by  draughts  they  are  predisposed  to  the 
attack  of  a  disfiguring  and  often  deadly  fungus,  known 
in  gardens  as  blister,  and  to  scientists  as  Exoascus  de- 
formans. Large,  reddish  swellings  form  on  the  leaves, 
which  presently  shrivel  and  fall,  leaving  the  tree  bare. 
Neither  a  Peach  nor  any  other  tree  can  be  robbed  of 
its  leaves  without  suffering  ;  it  often  sustains  so  severe  a 
shock  as  to  die  outright.  While  pointing  out  that  pro- 
tection from  cold  wind  is  the  best  preventive  of  blister, 
I  would  add  that  the  spores  of  the  fungus  are  probably 
always  on  hand,  and  that  they  can  be  destroyed  by  a 
copper  sulphate  without  the  tree  being  injured,  so  long 
as  lime  is  added  in  sufficient  quantity.     Here  is  a  recipe: 

BORDEAUX   MIXTURE   FOR   DESTROYING   FUNGI 
\  pound  of  sulphate  of  copper 
\  pound  of  quicklime,  freshly  burned. 
i\  gallons  of  water 
87 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Feb.  Dissolve  the  copper  in  a  little   water  in  a  wooden 

I-14  vessel,  reduce  the  lime  to  powder  by  sprinkling  it  with 
water,  and  then  let  it  stand  in  a  vessel  of  water  for  a  few 
hours  ;  pour  the  two  mixtures  together  through  a  piece 
of  sacking,  and  make  up  to  the  full  quantity  of  water. 
The  mixture  can  be  sprayed  on  in  February  and  March, 
and  it  will  kill  the  spores  without  hurting  the  trees. 
Good  PeacJies  Good  Nectarines 

Early  Alexander  Early  Rivers 

*Hale's  Early  Cardinal 

Grosse  Mignonne  *Lord  Napier 

Dymond  Dryden 

Royal  George  Stanwick  Elruge 

Sea  Eagle  Humboldt 

Barrington  Pine  Apple 

♦Princess  of  Wales  *Victoria 

The  varieties  are  arranged  in  the  order  of  their 
ripening ;  those  marked  *  may  be  chosen  if  two  of 
each  are  required.  Dymond,  Sea  Eagle,  and  Lord 
Napier  might  be   chosen  for  outdoor  culture. 

Outdoor  Peaches. — An  opportunity  should  be  taken  of 
going  over  outdoor  Peach  and  Nectarine  trees,  in  order 
to  prune  out  old  wood  which  has  borne  fruit,  and  fasten 
in  young  shoots  with  shreds  and  nails  for  bearing  in  the 
current  season.  If  growth  has  been  vigorous,  some  of 
the  young  shoots  may  have  to  be  cut  out  as  well  as  the 
old  ones.  The  grower  must  try  and  calculate  how  much 
room  each  shoot  tied  in  will  require,  given  the  under- 
standing that  the  leaves  of  one  must  not  overlap  those 
of  its  neighbours,  and  prune  accordingly.  If,  when 
examining  the  trees,  he  sees  that  the  shoots  made  in  the 
previous  year  are  numerous,  and  exceed  two  feet  long,  he 
will  be  wise  to  make  a  trench  in  a  semi-circle  about  four 
feet  from  the  wall,  and  prune  any  strong  roots  which  are 
found.  Signs  of  growth  in  the  form  of  swelling  buds  are 
88 


BUDS,    BLOOM,    AND   EARLY    BIRD 

more  welcome  to  the  inexperienced  amateur  than  the      Feb. 
old  stager.     Early  bloom  is  likely  to  be  destroyed  by  late      ^~^4 
frost  unless  protected.    It  is  not  a  bad  plan  to  retard  the 
opening  by  shading  the  trees  in  sunny  weather  during 
February. 

Peaches  in  Bloom  under  Glass. — Peach  trees  that  are 
grown  in  a  warm  house  with  a  view  to  the  production  of 
early  fruit  may  be  in  bloom"  in  early  February.  It  is  a 
help  to  cross  fertilisation  if  a  camel's-hair  brush  is  drawn 
across  the  flowers  when  they  are  fully  open,  as  that 
distributes  the  pollen.  When  the  flowers  begin  to  fall,  a 
good  syringing  is  beneficial.  I  spoke  of  disbudding  in 
the  January  chapter,  and  I  would  here  add  that  it  should 
be  started  early,  so  that  the  superfluous  growths  may  be 
got  rid  of  before  they  have  time  to  extend  far. 

Birds  and  Fruit  Buds. — Chaffinches,  bullfinches,  and 
house  sparrows  are  apt  to  destroy  fruit  buds ;  and  as  a 
preventive,  as  also  a  check  on  insects  and  a  destroyer  of 
moss,  the  lime-and-salt  wash  recommended  in  the  early 
part  of  the  present  chapter  may  be  sprayed  on  now. 

The  waterglass,  which  is  one  of  its  components,  is 
used  in  the  preservation  of  eggs,  and  can  be  bought  at  a 
chemist's. 

Vegetables 

It  is  still  too  early  to  sow  out  of  doors,  except  in 
such  specially  favourable  circumstances  as  were  referred 
to  in  Chapter  I., — that  is,  a  dry,  crumbly  state  of  the  soil 
following  on  winter  sunshine.  Given  these.  Peas,  Broad 
Beans,  Turnips,  and  Spinach  may  be  sown  in  the  garden. 
Asparagus,  Rhubarb,  and  Seakale  may  be  forced  (for 
methods,  see  previous  chapter).  Onions,  Tomatoes, 
Cucumbers,  and  Celery  may  be  sown  in  heated  houses 
for  early  use. 

89 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 


Feb. 
I- 14 


The  work  of  preparing  vacant  land  in  the  kitchen 
garden  by  digging  (or  bastard  trenching)  and  manuring 
should  be  continued. 

Mushrooms. — Early  February  is  a  very  good  time  for 
those  to  begin  who  want  to  grow  Mushrooms  on  beds  in 
the  open  air,  as  the  crop  can  be  got  before  hot  weather 
comes  on.  Perhaps  the  reader  is  a  lover  of  Mushrooms, 
and  appreciates  them  when  gathered  from  a  pasture  in 
September.  If  so,  let  him  try  his  hand  with  a  bed, 
because  he  will  probably  enjoy  home-grown  produce 
more  than  ever  he  did  outdoor  gatherings,  especially  if 

he  can  be  persuaded  to 
pick  the  Mushrooms  in 
a  half -developed  state. 
The  worst  of  the  field 
Mushrooms  is  that  they 
are  often  very  large  and 
flabby.  Thick,  firm,  half- 
sized  ones  are  farsuperior 
in  flavour.  Expert  Mush- 
room growers  generally 
get  produce  in  two  or 
three  months  from  the  time  of  starting,  and  an  amateur 
who  does  not  see  Mushrooms  coming  within  three  months 
should  want  to  know  the  reason  why.  I  think  that  he 
will  see  them,  however,  if  he  is  careful  in  the  preparation 
of  his  manure,  for  much  turns  on  that.  He  should  get 
it  direct  from  the  stables,  and  have  the  whole  supply 
delivered  as  nearly  simultaneously  as  possible,  because 
when  it  is  carted  in  at  intervals  of  several  days  the  early 
batches  lose  their  heat  before  the  others  arrive.  The 
orthodox  ridge-shaped  bed,  two  and  a  half  feet  wide  at 
the  base,  and  the  same  high,  will  take  about  one  single 
cartload  for  every  yard.  The  manure  ought  to  be 
90 


Fig.  29. — Section  of  Ridge-shaped 

Mushroom  Bed. 
.  Manure.  b.  Lumps  of  spawn. 

Layer  of  soil.         d.  Straw. 


BUDS,    BLOOM,    AND    EARLY   BIRD 

thoroughly  turned  three  times  at  intervals  of  two  days,  Feb. 
and  then  trodden  down  into  a  firm  mass  of  the  shape  ^"^4 
advised.  Seedsmen  supply  bricks  of  spawn,  which  may 
be  broken  up  into  pieces  as  large  as  a  Walnut,  and 
pushed  into  the  warm  manure.  A  coat  of  soil  an  inch 
thick  should  be  put  on  when  threads  can  be  seen  running 
from  the  spawn,  and  a  covering  of  straw  nine  inches 
thick  placed  over  all. 

Globe  Artichokes. — Has  the  reader  had  a  vegetable 
resembling  a  small  scaly  ball  placed  before  him  at  a 
banquet,  and  eaten  it  in  mute  speculation  as  to  what  it 
may  be  ?  It  is  the  Globe  Artichoke.  Both  in  appear- 
ance and  flavour  it  is  entirely  different  from  the  Jerusalem 
Artichoke.  I  am  not  prepared  to  say  that  the  Globe 
kind  is  worth  adding  to  the  list  of  vegetables  for  a  quite 
small  garden,  because  it  only  gives  a  small  quantity  of 
food  in  proportion  to  the  amount  of  ground  that  it 
occupies  ;  it  is  more  or  less  of  a  delicacy.  Growing  large 
and  bushy,  it  needs  planting  some  four  feet  apart.  It 
can  be  raised  from  seed,  but  those  who  have  plants  may 
increase  them  early  in  the  year  by  taking  off  and  planting 
the  young  rooted  side  growths.  Afterwards,  they  may 
fork  some  manure  into  the  ground  round  the  old  plants, 
by  way  of  stimulating  them. 

Starting  Potatoes  in  Boxes. — The  present  is  a  good 
time  to  start  Potatoes  in  boxes.  If  the  reader  asks  why 
they  should  be  handled  now,  inasmuch  as  it  involves 
time  and  trouble,  I  reply  :  As  early  Potatoes  are  sure  to 
make  growth  of  some  kind  during  mild  weather  towards 
the  end  of  mid-winter,  we  may  as  well  have  that  growth 
strong.  If  the  tubers  are  left  in  a  heap  in  the  dark,  the 
sprouts  which  they  push  will  be  weak  and  valueless  ;  if 
the  Potatoes  are  laid  thinly  in  boxes,  and  put  in  a  light 
place  safe  from  frost,  the  sprouts  will  be  short,  thick,  and 
91 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY    WEEK 

Feb.  strong.  Potatoes  that  are  started  in  boxes  in  this  way 
I~I4  give  better  and  earher  crops,  when  they  are  ultimately 
planted,  than  those  which  are  not  so  treated.  I  advise 
the  reader  to  select  sets  of  about  two  ounces  in  weight 
for  seed  purposes.  Sharpe's  Express  is  a  splendid  early 
variety,  a  heavy  cropper,  and  a  good  cooker. 

Feb.  FEBRUARY— Third  and  Fourth  Weeks 

15-28 

The   days   are   now   lengthening   appreciably.     Our 

"  cycle  lighting-up  time-table  for  the  meridian  of  Green- 
wich "  tells  us  that  at  the  middle  of  February  we  may 
leave  our  lamps  unlit  till  some  ten  minutes  past  six. 
Well,  those  of  us  who  are  amateur  gardeners  first  and 
cyclists  afterwards  will  be  more  grateful  for  the  know- 
ledge that  we  shall  soon  have  daylight  for  evening  work 
in  the  garden.  Some  of  us  have  nothing  to  do  except  to 
garden  all  day  long,  but  rather  more  of  us,  I  think,  have 
to  be  away  from  home  and  garden  for  the  greater  part  of 
the  day,  and  make  shift  in  the  early  morning  and  in  the 
evening. 

An  hour  in  the  garden  on  a  sharp  February  morning 
is  as  refreshing  as  a  cold  sponge.  Do  not  be  impulsive 
and  thoughtless,  please.  No  seizing  of  spade,  and  digging 
furiously  on  an  empty  stomach,  with  muscles  that  have 
grown  flabby  from  want  of  exercise.  Keep  up  the  ten 
minutes'  practice  with  the  Developer  all  the  winter 
through,  and  when  February  comes  rise  half-an-hour 
earlier,  and  boil  a  little  extra  shaving  water.  A  tumbler 
of  it  with  a  large  Apple  will  make  a  glorious  seven 
o'clock  meal ;  and  give  a  healthy  stimulus  for  a  steady 
hour  in  the  garden  before  breakfast. 

One  who  follows  this  course  will  be  an  enviable 
being.  He  will  feel  a  glow  of  health  and  virtue.  He 
92 


BUDS,   BLOOM,   AND   EARLY    BIRD 

will  tell  his  acquaintances  about  it  in  the  train,  and  Feb. 
assume  a  Man  from  Bedfordshire  attitude  towards  the  l5-2o 
world  at  large.     It  is  nice  to  have  this  feeling. 

Flowers 

Christmas  Roses. — Almost  every  amateur  is  interested 
in  the  Christmas  Rose — the  Helleborus  niger  of  botanists. 
He  loves  to  think  of  outdoor  flowers  at  mid-winter,  there 
are  so  few.  And  he  really  can  get  them.  The  Christmas 
Rose  does  not  make  a  mere  pretence  of  winter  blooming; 
it  flowers  whole-heartedly  with  enjoyment,  with  genuine 
gusto.  It  is  delightful  to  see  the  pure  white  flowers 
among  the  dying  brown  fern  fronds  at  Kew — freshness 
taking  a  foil  from  decay.  Experts  in  Christmas  Roses 
(everything  in  gardening  is  specialised  in  these  days, 
and  very  nearly  every  plant  has  a  Society)  tell  us  an 
interesting  fact  about  the  plant,  namely,  that  it  forms 
two  sets  of  roots — the  first  in  September,  the  second  in 
early  spring,  when  the  new  leaves  begin  to  push  up. 
The  former  are  the  large  roots,  the  latter  the  fibres. 
From  this  we  deduce  an  important  cultural  fact,  namely, 
that  the  best  time  to  pot  or  plant  Christmas  Roses  is 
September.  But  I  mention  them  now  because  I  want 
people  to  learn  about  them  while  they  are  in  bloom,  and 
grow  really  interested  in  the  different  varieties.  The 
form  of  the  common  called  Major  is  very  good,  and  by 
no  means  must  be  ignored,  as  it  will  flower  abundantly 
for  several  weeks,  but  Praecox  is  worth  noting  as  an 
early  autumn  bloomer.  AltifoUus  is  a  fine  variety  which 
flowers  in  November.  Angustifolius  and  Juvernis  bloom 
in  winter.  A  variety  of  a  distinct  and  pretty  colour  is 
Apple  Blossom.  In  view  of  the  scarcity  of  winter 
flowers,  I  beheve  that  the  Christmas  Rose  will  grow  in 
favour  as  the  years  pass. 

93 


THE   GARDEN  WEEK   BY  WEEK 

Feb.  The  Japanese  Iris. — With  the  Lily  bulbs  which  they 

15-28  send  over  in  enormous  quantities  at  mid-winter,  the 
Japanese  send  clumps  of  their  wonderful  Kaempfer  Iris, 
which  has  huge,  flat  flowers  as  big  as  the  largest  Clema- 
tises. Botanists  call  the  plant  Iris  Laevigata,  having 
deposed  the  old  name  of  Kaempferi.  They  are  rather 
partial  to  changing  names,  and  often  cause  the  amateur 
a  good  deal  of  bewilderment,  but  they  mean  well. 
Hardy  plantsmen  want  to  get  the  Japanese  Iris  called 
the  Clematis-flowered  Iris,  and  the  name  is  apt,  but 
unfortunately  it  adds  another  to  an  already  goodly  list. 
One  may  buy  clumps  of  Japanese  Irises  at  from  half- 
a-crown  to  five  shillings  a  dozen,  according  to  size. 
Named  varieties  are  dearer,  but,  as  most  of  the  names 
are  Japanese,  very  few  people  can  pronounce  them  or 
say  what  they  mean.  In  these  circumstances,  why  worry 
about  names  ?  We  want  varietal  names  for  Roses  and  a 
few  other  special  things,  but  not  for  everything  in  the 
garden.  Besides,  these  Irises  are  generally  planted  at 
the  water-side,  often  among  rushes  or  other  growth  ;  and 
I  can  hardly  suppose  that  the  greatest  stickler  for  named 
varieties  of  plants  wants  to  splash  about  in  mud  search- 
ing for  labels.  Buy,  then,  in  mixture,  and  plant  in  moist 
spots  now.  If  you  want  Irises  for  dry  spots,  turn  to  the 
German  Flag. 

Hyacinths  in  Glasses. — I  do  not  think  that  so  many 
Hyacinths  are  grown  in  glasses  of  water  nowadays  as 
were  cultivated  in  years  gone  by,  because  bowls  of  peat- 
moss fibre  have  displaced  them,  but  still  there  are  some. 
Will  the  grower  give  a  little  attention  to  glass  Hyacinths 
now  ?  If  they  are  in  a  dark  place,  bring  them  to  the 
light.  If  the  water  is  foul,  pour  it  off  very  carefully  and 
refill,  preferably  with  lukewarm  water.  One  of  the 
troubles  with  glass  Hyacinths  is  that  as  the  flower  heads 
94 


BUDS,    BLOOM,   AND   EARLY    BIRD 

expand  the  plant  gets  top-heavy,  and,  if  not  supported,  Feb. 
falls  overboard.  Then  there  is  a  to-do.  The  florist  sells  I5~28 
wire  supports  suitable  for  supporting  the  plants,  and  one 
should  be  procured  for  each  plant.  The  lower  part  will 
clasp  the  neck  of  the  bottle,  the  upper  will  hold  the 
truss.  Hyacinths  in  pots  will  also  want  stakes,  but  these 
may  be  ordinary  wooden  ones. 

Orange  and  Salmon  Clivias. — Winter  is  the  flowering 
season  of  the  Clivia,  with  its  orange,  salmon,  or  vermilion 
bell-shaped  flowers,  and  long,  narrow  leaves.  It  is  a 
capital  plant  for  the  amateur's  conservatory,  and  also 
for  rooms.  It  is  bright,  and  lasts  well.  When  a  large 
plant  has  gone  out  of  bloom  (and  some  which  flowered 
early  may  have  done  so  already),  it  may  be  split  up  into 
several  smaller  ones,  which,  if  potted  separately  in  fresh 
soil  (mostly  loam  and  sand),  will  develop,  and  flower  well 
'next  winter  or  spring.  There  need  be  no  nervousness 
about  tearing  a  clump  to  pieces.  It  is  built  up  of  a  series 
of  rhizomes,  each  of  which  is  really  a  separate  organism, 
with  its  own  roots  and  leaves.  Each  individual  that  is 
taken  away  from  a  mass  will  make  a  better  bloomer  if 
treated  as  a  separate  plant  than  if  left  as  a  mere  item  in  a 
crowded  mass. 

The  Snow-white  Eucharis, — There  is  no  more  pleasing 
warm-house  plant  than  the  pure  white  Eucharis  Ama- 
zonica,  and  I  refer  to  it  now  because  the  present  is  a 
good  time  to  give  it  cultural  attention.  The  foliage  may 
be  cleansed  by  drawing  a  damp  sponge  over  it.  If  the 
pots  are  very  much  crowded  with  bulbs,  the  whole  mass 
may  be  shaken  out  and  a  separation  effected,  the  bulbs 
being  placed  in  fresh  pots.  If  the  plants  have  not  been 
thriving,  from  some  unexplained  cause,  it  will  be  wise  to 
take  the  opportunity  of  the  bulbs  being  out  to  search 
carefully,  especially  at  the  neck,  for  a  transparent  mite. 
95 


THE   GARDEN    WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Feb.  This  tiny  enemy  is  peculiar  to  the  Eucharis,  and  when 
15-28  it  finds  the  plants  out,  and  establishes  itself  on  them,  it 
may  destroy  them.  Steeping  the  bulbs  in  hot  water  in 
which  paraffin  oil  has  been  stirred  at  the  rate  of  a  wine- 
glass per  quart  will  not  hurt  them,  and  will  make  things 
extremely  uncomfortable  for  the  mite.  It  will  be  found 
easier  to  mix  the  paraffin  and  water  if  half  a  pound  of  soft 
soap  is  first  dissolved  in  the  latter  by  boiling. 

The  Draught-enduring  Palm  or  Aspidistra. — It  is  a 
truism  with  gardeners  that  plants  are  as  subject  to  injury 
from  draught  as  human  beings,  but  a  lot  of  cold  currents 
are  required  to  overcome  the  Aspidistra.  One  could 
imagine  it  thriving  in  the  passages  of  tube  railways — 
those  modern  institutions  where,  to  avoid  walking  half  a 
mile  through  the  streets,  we  plunge  into  the  bowels  of 
the  earth,  and  battle  with  fierce  winds  through  inter- 
minable corridors.  Likewise,  where  we  sometimes  get* 
electric  shocks,  like  Mr.  De  Morgan's  hero  in  Somehow 
Good.  Yes,  it  takes  a  great  deal  to  kill  an  Aspidistra.  It 
is  so  tenacious  of  life  that  it  grows  on  and  on  until  the 
pot  becomes  crowded  with  growth.  It  will  live  even  so, 
and  it  is  a  fact  worth  remembering  that  the  Variegated 
Aspidistra  will  retain  its  variegation  better  when  it  is  half 
starved  than  when  it  is  grown  in  a  good  deal  of  rich  soil. 
But  increase  is  desired  sometimes,  in  order  to  get  more 
plants,  and  the  present  season  of  the  year  is  as  good  as 
any  for  splitting  up  large  plants.  It  will  help  the  plants 
to  re-establish  themselves  if  they  can  be  given  the  un- 
wonted luxury  of  a  warm  greenhouse.  The  draughty 
corridor  will  not  suit  them  in  their  unfledged  state. 

Hydrangeas. — Readers   have   read  of   the  wonderful 

Hydrangeas  that  grow  around  the  late  Mr.  Cecil  Rhodes' 

Cape  home,  Groote  Schuur.     I  am  told  by  the  people 

who  know  the   plants  and  the   man   that  they  were  a 

96 


BUDS,    BLOOM,   AND   EARLY    BIRD 

remarkable  sight  when  in  full  bloom,  and  that  Rhodes  Feb. 
took  a  deep  interest  in  them.  I  fear  that  we  cannot  I5~28 
grow  many  plants  here  as  they  can  in  South  Africa, 
and  yet  there  are  colonies  of  Hydrangeas  in  English 
gardens.  I  have  a  recollection  of  seeing  a  large  colony 
of  them  in  a  Sussex  garden  in  years  gone  by,  and  owing 
to  the  presence  of  iron  in  the  soil  the  flower  heads  were 
blue  instead  of  the  normal  pink.  Watering  sulphate  of 
iron  into  the  soil  tends  to  change  the  colour.  My 
immediate  object  in  referring  to  Hydrangeas  is  to  point 
out  that  those  amateurs  who  have  plants  established  in 
pots  may  force  them  into  early  bloom  by  putting  them 
in  a  warm  house.  They  will  stand  a  good  deal  of  heat 
if  they  are  well  rooted.  The  pots  should  really  be  full 
of  roots  now,  and  the  plants  will  need  a  good  deal  of 
water ;  a  dose  of  fertiliser  once  a  week  will  also  do 
them  good.  If  there  are  two  houses  the  plants  may  go 
into  the  cooler  one  as  soon  as  they  have  come  into 
bloom,  as  the  flowers  will  last  better  there  than  in  a 
warm  one. 

A  Pretty  Edging  Plant  {Koniga  or  Alysswn). — 
Low-growing  plants  of  neat  habit  that  have  pretty 
flowers  serve  a  useful  purpose  as  edgings  to  beds  or 
borders.  Such  a  one  is  the  Variegated  Woodruff,  Koniga 
(or  Alyssum)  Maritima  Variegata.  This  very  useful  and 
pretty  little  plant  may  be  propagated  easily  at  this  time 
of  year  by  those  who  have  put  a  few  stock  plants  into 
pots  in  autumn,  together  with  blue  Lobelias.  The 
plants  will  begin  to  grow  in  a  warm  house,  and  all 
that  is  necessary  is  to  take  cuttings  consisting  of  a 
couple  of  inches  or  so  of  the  growing  tips,  put  them 
just  clear  of  each  other  in  boxes  of  very  sandy  soil, 
cover  with  a  square  of  glass,  and  put  them  in  a  warm 
place.  As  soon  as  they  have  started  growing  they 
97  G 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Feb.     should  go  on  to  a  shelf,  and  they  will  then  make  good 
15-28    plants  speedily. 

Orchids 

Growers  of  Orchids  have  a  great  advantage  over 
mere  everyday  plant  lovers  in  that  they  get  the  prin- 
cipal part  of  their  bloom  in  winter  and  spring,  when 
less  aristocratic  flowering  plants  are  in  a  minority.  We 
cannot  get  away  from  the  overpowering  claims  of 
Orchids ;  we  can  only  pass  them  by  on  the  plain, 
honest,  straightforward  ground  that  we  cannot  afford 
them. 

Orchids  have  every  beauty  that  a  plant  can  possess. 
They  have  great  diversity  of  form,  infinite  variety  of 
colour,  and  perfume.  The  hues  have  an  indescribable 
delicacy  of  tone,  which  distinguishes  them  from  most 
non-orchidaceous  flowers.  The  reds  have  the  flaming 
intensity  of  volcanic  fires,  the  creams  have  the  density 
of  old  ivory,  the  blues  have  the  appealing  softness  of 
southern  skies. 

Nature  has  taxed  her  ingenuity  to  the  utmost  in 
designing  Orchid  flowers.  They  have  been  constructed 
with  a  marvellous  cunning.  The  devices  to  insure 
cross-fertilisation  by  insect  agency  almost  approach  the 
incredible.  Flower  and  insect  have  been  adapted  to 
each  other  so  cleverly  that  the  one  seems  a  necessary 
complement  of  the  other;  indeed,  when  one  examines 
the  structure  of  some  Orchid  flowers,  it  seems  impos- 
sible to  avoid  the  conclusion  that  their  extraordinary 
mechanism  has  been  devised  with  the  sole  object  of 
utilising  the  insect  as  an  instrument  of  transport — a 
sort  of  carrier.  Darwin  and  other  scientific  writers 
have  described  these  floral  wonders  in  their  own  solid 
way,  but  the  subject  is  treated  with  greater  literary 
98 


BUDS,    BLOOM,   AND   EARLY   BIRD 

charm    in    the   writings   of   Maurice    Maeterlinck.      In     Feb. 
Flowers  and  Immortality  that  strange  and  subtle  genius    l5"2o 
probes  deeply  into  the  mystery  of  the  life  and  structure 
of  plants,  and  builds  up  on  them  a  theory  of  life  after 
death  that  is  not  the   less  absorbing  because  coloured 
with  his  singular  and  elusive  fancy. 

The  amateur  gardener  may  not  approach  Orchids  in 
the  attitude  of  one  who  seeks  interest  in  complexity  of 
structure,  or  of  those  unsatisfied  souls  who  fail  to  find 
contentment  in  the  religions  of  the  majority.  He  may 
admire  them  for  their  intrinsic  beauty,  leaving  the  rest 
to  the  botanical  student,  the  mystic,  and  the  searcher 
for  divine  revelation.  They  will  richly  reward  him. 
Any  one  of  the  four  principal  genera — Cattleya,  Cypri- 
pedium,  Dendrobium,  and  Odontoglossum — will  afford 
him  an  abundant  harvest  of  beautiful  forms  and  colours. 
He  may  be  wise  to  deal  first  with  these,  passing  to  the 
less  important  kinds — Angraecum,  Laelia,  Oncidium, 
Vanda,  and  the  like — subsequently. 

Considered  collectively,  Orchids  are  certainly  a  some- 
what expensive  class,  but  some  of  the  best  kinds  are 
cheap,  and  a  few  will  thrive  without  much  heat.  They 
are  imported  in  large  quantities  in  winter  and  spring, 
and  it  is  by  no  means  a  bad  way  of  starting  Orchid  study 
to  visit  the  auction  sales  where  these  importations  are 
disposed  of.  The  sales  are  advertised  in  the  horti- 
cultural journals.  It  is  true  that  the  amateur,  whose 
interest  in  Orchids  has  been  aroused  by  seeing  a  col- 
lection in  bloom  in  a  botanic  garden,  or  at  a  show,  or 
in  the  garden  of  a  friend,  may  feel  nonplussed  when 
he  sees  the  condition  in  which  the  importations  are 
sold.  Some  of  them  look  as  much  like  bundles  of  grey 
faggots  as  anything.  They  bear  only  a  very  remote  and 
distressing  resemblance  to  plants.  But  they  have  life 
99 


THE   GARDEN    WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Feb.     in  them,  and  if  they  are  managed  properly  beauty  will 
^5~2o    gush  from  them  like  water  from  a  fountain. 

Theoretically,  certain  kinds  of  Orchids,  notably 
Cypripedium  Insigne  and  Odontoglossum  Crispum,  can 
be  grown  successfully  in  cool  houses  of  mixed  plants. 
In  practice,  lovers  of  Orchids  will  find  it  prudent  to 
specialise  them  in  houses  of  their  own.  In  large  Orchid- 
growing  establishments  there  may  be  found  three 
structures,  the  cool  house,  the  Cattleya  or  intermediate 
house,  and  the  hot  or  East  India  house — nay,  there  are 
sometimes  four.  But  very  gratifying  results  may  be 
secured  from  one  roomy  house  separated  into  two 
divisions,  a  cool  one  for  the  plants  at  their  resting  stage, 
and  a  warmer  one  for  the  growing  period.  The  maxi- 
mum winter  temperature  for  the  former  may  be  45°, 
and  for  the  latter  55°. 

An  amateur  who  intends  to  grow  Orchids  may  well 
commence  preparations  in  February.  He  may  get  his 
house  built  and  heated,  and  procure  the  necessary 
supply  of  mechanical  appliances.  Most  of  the  Orchids 
are  grown  in  pots,  but  not  in  the  ordinary  form  of 
flower  pot.  Orchid  pots  are  generally  wide  and  shallow, 
approximating  to  what  gardeners  call  pans ;  but  a  few 
kinds  are  grown  in  deep  pots.  The  receptacles  are 
generally  made,  too,  with  a  series  of  large  holes  in  the 
sides.  Some  Orchids  are  not  grown  in  any  kind  of  pot, 
but  are  bound  on  to  blocks  or  rafts,  or  grown  in 
baskets. 

The  root  material  also  differs  from  that  of  ordinary 
plants.  It  is  not  "soil"  in  the  usual  sense.  It  is  true 
that  peat  is  used  in  some  potting  composts,  but  it  differs 
from  Orchid  peat,  which  is  an  entirely  separate  and 
special  article.  The  best  way  of  getting  it  is  to  apply 
to  a  trade  Orchid  grower,  or  to  a  dealer  in  horticultural 


BUDS,   BLOOM,   AND   EARLY    BIRD 

sundries.      Orchids    are    grown   sufficiently   largely   in     Feb. 
these  days  to  justify  its  being  made  into  a  recognised    I5"28 
commercial   unit.     With    it  may  be  procured  a  supply 
of   Sphagnum   Moss,  which    is    a  particular  kind  used 
extensively  for  Orchids,  and  generally  associated  with 
peat. 

A  considerable  quantity  of  crocks  are  also  required 
in  Orchid  growing.  These 
(pieces  of  broken  flower  pot) 
accumulate  in  all  gardens  where 
pot  plants  are  grown  ;  but  if  it 
is  necessary  to  purchase  them 
there  need  be  no  difficulty,  as 
any  florist  or  garden  sundries- 
man  will  supply  them.  Charcoal 
is  also  useful. 

When  house  and  materials 
are  ready  the  Orchids  may  be 
bought,  either  at  a  nursery  or 
an  auction  sale.  The  beginner 
should  try  to  get  the  advice  of 
an  expert  friend  in  the  latter 
case,  or  he  might  employ  one  of 
the  buying  agents  who  frequent 
the  auction  rooms  to  purchase 
on  commission  for  amateurs  who 
are  unable  to  be  present  them- 
selves. 

He  may  like  to  try  a  few 
Cattleyas,  which  are  Orchids  of  large  size  and  glorious 
colour.  Mossiae  (late  spring)  is  the  best  known  species, 
and  next  to  it  Trianae  (winter).  There  are  always 
thousands  of  the  former  going  at  the  sales,  and  the 
price  is  low.     They  will  like  the  warmer  house. 

lOI 


Fig.  30. — Potting  Orchids. 

a.  Empty  inverted    pot    over 

the  drainage  hole. 

b.  Crocks  and  charcoal. 

c.  Roots. 

d.  Roots  covered  ^'iKh.  sphag- 

num moss  well  above  the 
rim. 


THE   GARDEN  WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Feb.  The    Cypripediums    or    Ladies'    Slippers    are    less 

15-28  brilliant  than  the  Cattleyas,  but  equally  popular.  In- 
signe  (winter)  is  the  best  known  species.  It  is  not 
a  showy  flower,  but  the  colouring  is  harmonious 
and  pleasing.  This  species  will  thrive  in  a  cold 
house,  and  another  that  will  succeed  without  a  great 
deal  of  heat  is  Spicerianum,  which  is  an  autumn 
bloomer. 

The  Dendrobiums  are  lovely  Orchids,  having  flowers 
of  charming  form  and  delightful  colour.  The  best 
known  species  is  perhaps  Nobile,  but  Wardianum  runs 
it  close.     Both  bloom  in  mid-winter. 

The  Odontoglossums  are  perhaps  the  most  useful 
of  all  to  amateurs,  especially  Crispum,  of  which  there 
are  numerous  varieties,  mostly  with  white  or  ivory- 
coloured  flowers,  but  spotted  or  splashed  in  varying 
degrees  with  other  colours.  An  imported  collection 
of  Odontoglossum  Crispum  alone  will  afford  the  ama- 
teur great  interest  and  pleasure,  as  the  flowers  are  of 
exquisite  beauty. 

When  imported  pieces  are  received  it  is  wise  to  put 
them  in  a  warm  house,  and  keep  them  moist,  until  they 
show  signs  of  growth.  Setting  them  in  damp  crocks, 
with  which  the  pots  may  be  two-thirds  filled,  suffices 
to  start  them,  but  as  soon  as  root  and  stem  growth 
begins  to  break,  a  layer  of  Sphagnum  Moss  should  be  laid 
on  the  crocks,  and  covered  with  a  mixture  of  Sphagnum 
and  peat,  using  about  two-thirds  peat  and  one-third 
moss.  If  the  mixture  is  kept  moist,  and  a  warm  tem- 
perature provided,  the  plants  will  progress  rapidly. 
Care  must  be  taken  to  keep  the  plants  firm,  and  this  is 
best  done  by  placing  a  stake  in  the  crocks,  and  fixing 
it  securely,  so  that  it  will  keep  the  plants  steady  when 
tied  to  it. 

102 


BUDS,   BLOOM,   AND   EARLY   BIRD 


Fruit 

Outdoor  Figs. — The  present  is  a  good  period  for  prun- 
ing and  training  Figs  on  open  walls.  Figs  are  not  grown 
in  many  gardens,  and  where  they  are,  they  are  generally 
left  to  take  care  of  themselves.  The  straggling  old  trees 
seem  very  happy  without  attention,  as,  indeed,  they 
probably  are.  They  have  found  something  which  they 
like  underground,  and  so  they  spread  in  all  directions, 
bearing  a  little  fruit  sometimes  by  way  of  showing  that 
they  can  do  it  if  they  like,  but  for  the  most  part  sprawling 
about  in  light-hearted  enjoyment  of  life.  They  like  to 
grow  in  a  sheltered  angle  between  walls,  and  their 
favourite  place  is  near  a  doorway,  as  they  can  thrust 
unexpected  shoots  across  it  at  short  notice,  and  slap  the 
faces  of  unwary  visitors  who  enter  hurriedly.  The  Figs 
enjoy  this  most  in  wet  weather.  The  owner  can  control 
them  if  he  likes,  and  the  way  to  set  about  it  is  to  cut  all 
the  old  straggling  shoots  out  entirely,  then  to  select  just 
as  many  of  the  previous  year's  growths  as  can  be  trained 
to  the  wall  without  overlapping  each  other  when  in  full 
leaf,  and  nail  them  in,  like  Peach  shoots.  The  most 
sportive  old  Fig  may  be  reduced  to  subjection  by  these 
means.  The  shoots  trained  in  ought  to  bear  fruit  the 
same  year,  but  the  grower  had  better  not  take  into  his 
calculations  any  fruits  that  were  formed  in  autumn,  and 
are  now  hanging  on  the  trees.  These  "  flatter  only  to 
deceive."  They  are  sure  to  fall  later  on,  but  fresh  ones 
will  come,  and  will  probably  swell  and  ripen. 

Does  the  mention  of  Figs  suggest  to  some  reader  who 

is  now  Figless  that  he  would  like  to  have  a  tree  in  his 

garden  ?      Then    let   him   plant  one    now.      Any   fruit 

nurseryman  will  supply  him  at  no  great  cost.     I  advise 

103 


Feb. 
15-28 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Feb.  the  planter  to  abstain  from  using  manure,  unless  his 
15-28  soil  is  very  poor  indeed,  as  the  Fig  grows  quite  ram- 
pantly enough  without.  Instead,  let  him  dig  in  some 
mortar  rubbish,  or,  failing  this,  lime  and  wood-ashes. 
Further,  let  him  ram  the  soil  firmly  about  the  roots. 
The  variety  Brown  Turkey  is  one  of  the  best.  It  crops 
well,  and  the  flavour  is  delicious. 

Early  Grapes. — I  spoke  in  the  previous  chapter  of  the 
starting  of  the  Vines  into  growth  for  yielding  early 
Grapes.  Those  who  have  Vines  in  bloom  at  the  present 
time  have  the  happy  promise  of  success  before  them. 
The  house  is  filled  with  a  pleasant  perfume  ;  it  is  an 
agreeable  place  to  enter,  to  work  in.  But  for  the 
present  there  is  not  much  to  do,  as  watering  the  borders 
is  best  omitted  while  the  bloom  lasts.  When  the  fruit 
has  set  it  may  be  resumed.  A  buoyant  atmosphere,  not 
too  humid,  should  be  maintained,  and  the  temperature 
may  be  about  55°.  In  the  case  of  later  Vines,  which 
may  be  just  breaking  into  growth,  note  should  be  taken 
of  the  shoots.  There  may  be  more  than  one  bud  on 
each  spur,  and  in  this  case  the  better  of  two  or  more 
shoots  should  be  taken,  and  encouraged  to  make  healthy 
extension  in  a  moist  atmosphere.  The  borders  should  be 
kept  damp.  And  when  the  bunches  of  fruit  show,  which 
they  will  speedily  do,  the  grower  should  learn  to  dis- 
criminate between  those  of  good  and  those  of  bad  form. 
A  short,  dumpy  bunch  will  show  its  character  at  once, 
and  there  need  be  no  fear  about  parting  with  it,  as 
another  is  sure  to  form.  An  effort  should  be  made  to 
get  a  long,  symmetrical  bunch,  because  such  a  one  will 
maintain  its  graceful  form  as  it  develops.  When  the 
lateral  has  extended  to  a  couple  of  leaves  beyond  the 
chosen  bunch,  it  may  be  stopped  by  pinching  off  the 
tip.  The  laterals  will  not  grow  naturally  in  the 
104 


BUDS,    BLOOM,    AND   EARLY    BIRD 

horizontal  position  that  they  will  have  when,  presently,     Feb. 
they    are   tied   down   to   the   wires;    and    the    task    of    I5"28 
bringing  them  down  is  a  delicate  one,  as  they  snap  off 
easily.     It  is  best  done  by  stages,  preferably  early  in 
the  day. 

Do  not  turn  heat  on  to  late  vineries  yet  awhile. 

Melons. — Like  Grapes,  Melons  can  be  had  in  suc- 
cession if  suitable  structures  exist,  but  those  whose 
glass  accommodation  is  limited  to  one  house,  in  which 
other  plants  have  to  be  grown,  may  perhaps  abstain 
from  growing  early  Melons,  as  the  plants  want  a  good 
deal  of  heat  and  moisture — conditions  which  may  not 
be  suitable  for  the  other  plants  in  the  house.  If  there  is 
a  heated  pit  in  which  the  Melons  can  have  the  first 
claim,  seed  may  be  sown  now,  one  each  in  small  pots, 
using  a  soil  of  loam,  leaf  mould,  and  sand.  The  seed 
will  not  be  long  in  germinating  in  a  small  house,  espe- 
cially if  the  pots  can  be  put  in  a  propagator,  or  in 
a  damp  place  near  hot-water  pipes.  When  roots  show 
at  the  bottom  of  the  pots  the  plants  may  be  transferred 
to  5-inch,  and  from  these  to  mounds  of  soil  placed  two 
feet  apart  on  slates  on  the  stage.  The  plants  should 
not  be  stopped,  but  allowed  to  extend  up  the  roof.  It  is 
not  wise  to  give  them  large  mounds  of  soil  ;  but,  as  in 
the  case  of  Cucumbers,  to  supply  enough  to  nicely  cover 
the  roots,  and  to  give  more  in  the  form  of  warm,  lumpy 
topdressings  of  loam,  when  they  are  well  established  and 
show  roots  at  the  top  of  the  mound. 

Vegetables 

As  noted  previously,  outdoor  sowing  must  be  guided 
by  the  weather  and  the  state  of  the  soil.     Given  fine 
weather   and   crumbly  soil,  early   Peas,   Broad   Beans, 
los 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Feb.     Turnips,  and  Spinach  may  be  sown  out  of  doors.    Celery, 
15-28    Cauliflowers,  Cucumbers,  Onions,  Lettuces,  and  Carrots 
may  be  sown  under  glass.     The  last  three  will  do  in 
frames. 

Cabbages  for  Spring. — I  have  said  that  I  would  not 
give  up  the  space  of  a  very  small  garden  to  Cabbages, 
especially  in  the  suburbs,  but  a  few  rows  are  undeniably 
useful  in  country  gardens  in  spring.  Growers  generally 
raise  them  in  summer,  and  plant  them  in  autumn  for 
spring  crops.  Those  who  have,  or  can  procure  plants 
now  may  put  them  out  eighteen  inches  apart,  and  make 
them  very  firm.  They  will  not  be  quite  so  early  as  those 
planted  in  autumn,  but  probably  they  will  be  early 
enough  to  be  useful. 

The  Shallot. — This  cousin  of  the  Onion  is  a  useful 
crop  to  grow,  especially  if  a  home-grown  pickle  is  in 
contemplation.  It  is  cheap,  it  is  tasty,  it  is  easily  grown. 
One  may  buy  seed,  but  it  is  better  to  get  bulbs,  because 
seedlings  will  be  of  no  culinary  value  until  another  year. 
Two  pounds  of  bulbs  will  yield  several  pounds — perhaps 
the  better  part  of  a  stone — by  mid-summer.  The  actual 
yield  depends  upon  the  soil ;  it  will  be  light  in  poor,  dry, 
shallow  ground  ;  heavy  in  rich,  moist,  deep  soil.  Prepare 
it  soon,  by  deep  digging  and  manuring,  and  plant  the 
bulbs  nine  inches  apart  in  rows  a  foot  asunder.  They 
do  not  want  covering  with  soil,  but  only  making  steady. 
In  due  course  they  will  begin  to  grow,  and  will  form 
a  clump.  The  only  cultivation  that  need  be  given  is 
hoeing  to  keep  down  weeds. 

The  Underground  or  Potato  Onion. — Here  is  a  mild- 
flavoured,  productive  form  of  Onion  that  grows  from 
bulbs  like  Shallots,  bought  and  planted  at  the  present 
time.  It  is  a  useful  vegetable,  but  one  rarely  sees  it 
except  in  cottagers'  gardens. 
106 


BUDS,    BLOOM,   AND   EARLY   BIRD 


The  Garden  in  February — A  Resume  Feb. 

Like  January,  February  is  in  the  main  a  month  of  Resume 
preparation.      It    is    rarely    that    dry,    settled    weather 
permits  of  regular  work  in  the  open  air,  but  seed  and 
plant  orders  may  be  prepared,  stores  procured,  seeds 
sown,  tubers  started,  and  ground  got  ready. 

We  have  a  foretaste  of  the  pleasures  of  the  garden  in 
the  early  flowers.  In  some  places  the  pretty  Hepaticas 
may  be  in  bloom,  and  also  their  close  relative  the  blue 
Anemone  Angulosa.  Many  early  bulbs  will  be  out, 
notably  Snowdrops,  Chionodoxa,  Crocuses,  and  Winter 
Aconites. 

There  may  be  bloom  on  the  shrubs — on  the  Glaston- 
bury Thorn,  which  is  reputed  to  flower  regularly  on 
Christmas  Day,  but  is  just  as  likely  to  flower  before  if  the 
autumn  is  mild  ;  on  the  Winter  Jasmine  ;  on  the  Heaths; 
on  the  pretty  yellow  Hamamelis  ;  on  the  yellow  For- 
sythia ;  on  the  Daurian  Rhododendron  ;  on  Standish's 
Honeysuckle  (Lonicera  Standishii) ;  and  possibly  on  the 
lovely  Star  Magnolia. 

Tuberous  plants  that  have  to  flower  the  same  year 
from  seed,  such  as  Begonias,  Gloxinias,  Streptocarpuses, 
Dahlias,  Cannas,  and  Achimenes,  must  be  sown  ;  but 
tubers  may  also  be  started  for  earlier  bloom.  Bulbs  in 
pots,  glasses,  and  vases  may  be  examined,  and  given 
light  and  air.  Many  permanent  greenhouse,  room  and 
hot-house  plants  can  be  overhauled,  and  if  necessary 
divided.  If  a  collection  of  Orchids  is  to  be  grown,  the 
house  can  be  prepared,  and  the  appliances  procured, 
with  a  view  to  commencing  with  imported  pieces  in 
spring.     Turf  may  be  laid. 

Fruit  trees  may  be  planted  in  favourable  weather,  at 
107 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Feb.  proper  distances  apart,  and  staked  securely.  Those  who 
—  wish  for  trained  trees,  and  do  not  possess  walls,  may 
erect  a  framework  of  posts  and  wire.  Cordon  and  fan 
trees  are  good  types,  and  the  former  can  be  planted  as 
close  as  two  feet  apart,  so  that  a  good  number  of  varieties 
can  be  grown.  The  sorts  should  be  carefully  selected 
in  order  to  give  a  succession  of  fruit.  Apples,  Plums, 
Pears,  and  Cherries  should  all  be  represented.  Currants 
and  Gooseberries  may  also  be  grown  as  trained  trees. 
All  these  trees  may  be  pruned. 

Strawberries  may  be  planted  in  well-prepared  soil, 
as  also  may  Raspberries. 

Peaches  and  Nectarines  require  attention  in  February, 
particularly  to  see  that  they  are  not  attacked  by  the 
deadly  "  blister."  They  may  also  be  pruned,  and  trees 
started  into  growth  under  glass  for  early  crops.  Trees 
in  bloom  may  be  cross-fertilised  and  disbudded.  Melons 
may  be  sown. 

Birds  are  very  troublesome  to  fruit  buds,  and 
measures  must  be  taken  to  check  them. 

In  the  kitchen  garden  the  preparation  of  the  ground 
by  digging,  trenching,  and  manuring  may  be  proceeded 
with.  A  few  early  sorts  of  vegetables  may  be  sown  out 
of  doors,  and  others  forced.  Cucumbers,  Tomatoes,  and 
Celery  may  be  sown  under  glass.  It  is  a  good  time  to 
form  a  bed  for  Mushrooms,  and  great  care  should  be 
taken  with  the  preparation  of  the  manure,  inasmuch  as 
success  turns  upon  it.  Potato  sets  may  be  started  in 
boxes  in  a  light,  frost-proof  place. 


io8 


CHAPTER   III 

THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

The  winter  wanes.  Spring  is  stealing  out  of  the  south.  March 
It  is  not  with  us  yet,  but  it  is  near.  There  are  blossoms 
on  many  shrubs,  and  the  earth  is  bright  with  early  bulbs. 
There  are  the  yellow  of  Crocus  and  Winter  Aconite,  the 
purple  of  Colchicum,  the  blue  of  Glory  of  the  Snow 
(Chionodoxa),  and  the  white  of  Snowdrops  and  Snow- 
flakes.  The  last  are  of  several  kinds,  and  one  of  the 
earliest  is  Leucojum  Vernum  Carpathicum.  Aestivum 
blooms  later. 

The  shrubs  are  thickening  with  bloom.  It  is  not 
every  gardener  who  knows  that  there  is  a  winter-flower- 
ing Rhododendron.  Its  name  is  Dauricum,  and  its 
colour  mauve.  It  is  a  bright  and  beautiful  representative 
of  its  great  genus.  The  Heaths,  notably  Erica  Lusi- 
tanica,  with  soft,  pink,  or  creamy  flowers,  and  the  better 
known  Carnea  and  Mediterranea,  are  in  beauty.  The 
newer  one,  Hybrida,  should  receive  the  attention  of 
Heath  lovers.  The  glittering  yellow  Forsythia  Suspensa 
is  expanding  its  trails  of  blossom.  There  is  another 
beautiful  yellow-flowered  shrub  of  winter  that  blooms, 
like  the  Winter  Jasmine,  in  advance  of  its  leaves,  pro- 
ducing charming  little  tassel-like  tufts  of  bloom.  It  is 
Hamamelis  Mollis,  little  known  as  yet,  but  certain  to 
grow  in  favour  as  the  years  pass.  The  delicious 
Mezereon  (Daphne)  is  an  old  favourite.  It  studs  its 
branches  with  rosy  flowers  of  spicy  fragrance.  The 
109 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

March  Star  Magnolia  (Stellata)  is  a  March-flowering  shrub  of 
wonderful  beauty,  the  great  white  flowers  standing  out 
boldly  from  the  bare,  dark  stems. 

We  see,  then,  the  dawn  of  spring,  and  with  the 
stimulus  of  the  flowers  around  us  we  are  encouraged 
to  provide  for  a  display  that  will  take  up  its  tale  when 
the  winter  flowers  fade,  and  carry  us  on  throughout 
the  year. 

March  MARCH— First  and  Second  Weeks 

Flowers 

Primarily,  we  shall  see  to  our  hardy  plants,  which 
are  the  backbone  of  the  modern  garden.  We  shall 
overhaul  those  that  we  have,  propagate  the  desirable, 
curb  the  rampant,  add  new  elements.  And  we  shall 
see  to  the  sowing  of  half-hardy  annuals,  to  the  pro- 
pagation of  Dahlias,  to  the  planting  of  Carnations  and 
Roses,  to  the  development  of  seedling  Begonias,  and 
to  the  many  other  pleasant  duties  that  will  find  their 
reward  in  the  beauty  of  the  summer  garden.  Ferns 
shall  be  considered. 

Herbaceous  Borders. — When  the  winter  is  mild,  signs 
of  life  are  abundant  in  the  herbaceous  border  in  March. 
Early  growing  plants,  like  Pyrethrums  and  Doronicums 
and  Michaelmas  Daisies  (one  of  the  latest  of  plants  to 
bloom,  the  Michaelmas  Daisy  is  one  of  the  first  to  start 
growing),  will  be  throwing  up  shoots,  and  there  will  be 
green  buds  among  the  brown  stumps  of  plants  that  were 
cut  down  in  autumn  or  winter.  Stay  1  were  the  dead 
stems  really  removed  some  weeks  ago,  or  are  they 
swaying,  drear  and  melancholy,  in  the  March  wind  ? 
There  is  nothing  that  looks  much  more  doleful  and 
furtive  than  a  neglected,  hardy  plant  border — not  even 


THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

a  homeless  dog.     Of  course,  the  withered  shoots  and    March 

old  flower  stems  ought  to  have  been  cut  down  and  burnt     ^"^5 

many  weeks  ago.    Let  us  hasten,  with  shame  and  remorse, 

to  do  it  now.     When  they  have  all  been  cleared  off,  and 

the  fire  is  crackling  under  them  (we  will  light  it  on  a 

day  when   the   wind   is    not   blowing   straight   towards 

the  house),  we  shall  feel  more  cheerful. 

The  border  clear,  the  next  step  is  division,  rearrange- 
ment, addition.  We  will  drive  a  turfing  iron,  or  a  sharp 
spade,  through  the  coarse  clumps  of  Ox-eye  Daisy, 
Goat's-rue,  Sunflower,  Michaelmas  Daisy,  and  any  other 
large,  fast-spreading  things,  and,  having  divided  them 
into  several  pieces,  replant  some  of  the  outside  portions 
in  deeply  dug  soil,  and  cast  out  the  weaker  central 
pieces.  We  will  arrange  our  kinds  in  groups,  say,  of 
three  plants  each  in  a  triangle ;  and  see  that  each  has 
room  to  spread  its  growth  without  getting  entangled 
with  its  neighbours.  As  we  work  we  will  turn  the  soil 
to  the  full  depth  of  the  spade,  and  dig  in  some  yard 
manure. 

But,  perhaps,  some  of  us  have  no  borders  to  deal 
with  ?  Perhaps  they  have  to  be  made  ?  This  is  a  truly 
happy  state — always  provided  that  we  have  a  bit  of 
ground  to  dig,  and  a  pound  or  two  wherewith  to  buy 
plants.  There  is  a  joyful  task  before  us.  We  need  envy 
no  one.  We  sniff  scornfully  at  yachts,  motor  cars, 
airships,  balls,  operas,  suppers,  and  routs ;  we  have 
something  more  attractive.  The  delight  of  making 
an  herbaceous  border  never  grows  stale.  When  we 
have  made  one  we  want  to  make  another,  and  if  we 
have  no  more  room  we  want  to  start  making  borders  for 
our  friends. 

We  do  not  make  higgledy-piggledy  borders  nowadays. 
We  do  not  dig  up  a  certain  amount  of  ground  and  put 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

March  every  hardy  plant  that  comes  along  into  it,  thinking  of 
^"^5  nothing  but  height.  We  give  careful  thought  to  colour. 
We  arrange  our  borders  in  our  minds,  and  convince 
ourselves,  before  the  plants  are  put  in,  that  none  will 
disagree  with  its  neighbours.  Some  may  suggest  that 
this  is  just  what  the  designer  of  the  old  "  ribbon  border  " 
did,  and  that  we  are  drifting  back  to  the  horrors  of 
the  bedding  system,  merely  using  hardy  plants  instead 
of  tender  ones.  Of  course  we  are  not  doing,  and  we 
do  not  intend  to  do,  anything  so  crude.  We  see  enough 
of  ribbon  borders  and  the  bedding  system  still,  and  we 
shall  avoid  the  mistake  of  aping  them. 

Colour  Schemes  with  Hardy  Plants. — Let  me  give  a 
few  examples  of  colour  groups,  and  show  the  plants 
which  can  be  used  for  forming  them.  We  can  have 
neighbouring  groups  of  mauve,  red,  and  white.  You 
may  think  that  there  are  not  sufficient  mauve  flowers  ? 
Have  you  forgotten,  among  tall  plants,  Phloxes  and 
Michaelmas  Daisies  and  Erigeron  Speciosum;  and  among 
dwarfer  ones  Verbena  Venosa,  annual  Asters  and  Stocks 
(which  can  be  bought  in  separate  colours).  Primroses, 
and  Aubrietias  ? 

Red  flowers  are,  of  course,  abundant,  and  comprise 
both  annuals  and  perennials.  Here  are  a  few,  all 
good :  Gladiolus  Brenchleyensis  is  a  really  mag- 
nificent grouping  plant,  graceful  in  growth,  and  full 
of  vivid  colour.  Dry  roots  can  be  got  from  the 
bulb  dealers  for  three  or  four  shillings  per  hundred. 
Lobelia  Cardinalis  and  L.  Fulgens  are  both  handsome 
plants,  growing  about  the  same  height  as  the  Gladiolus 
(two  to  two  and  a  half  feet),  and  very  bright.  They  had 
better  be  bought  as  young  plants.  Lychnis  Chalce- 
donica  is  a  very  bright  and  cheap  plant,  reminding  one 
of  the  Campion.     If  sown  early  it  will  flower  the  same 

112 


The  Rose  Campion,  Agrostemma  coronaria. 


THE   DAWN   OF  SPRING 

year  from  seed,  but  plants  can  be  bought  cheaply.  The  March 
Bergamot  (Monarda  Didyma)  has  crimson,  tasselly,  I-^S 
perfumed  flowers,  and  is  an  old  favourite.  Plants  of 
it  cost  very  little.  Montbretias  are  free  and  graceful. 
There  is  also  a  red  Delphinium — a  dwarfish  plant  which 
has  been  rather  overshadowed  by  its  tall,  blue  sisters, 
that  are  now  so  much  petted  by  hardy  plantsmen.  Its 
name  is  Nudicaule,  and  it  can  be  flowered  from  seed 
sown  early  under  glass,  or  bought  as  plants.  The 
Poppies,  both  annual  and  perennial,  are  glorious.  The 
great  Papaver  Orientale  and  its  varieties  are  among  the 
brighest  of  the  latter  class,  and  when  their  bloom  is 
over,  it  is  succeeded  by  that  of  the  annuals,  sown  in 
April  or  May,  and  rigorously  thinned  by  stages  until 
the  plants  stand  a  full  eighteen  inches  apart.  Be  sure, 
however,  to  choose  double  annual  Poppies ;  the  singles 
are  very  brilliant,  but  they  are  soon  over.  Dwarf 
scarlet  Nasturtiums,  sown  where  they  bloom,  will  come 
in  admirably  for  the  front. 

Our  next  group,  white,  will  give  us  no  more  trouble ; 
or,  to  put  it  in  a  better  and  truer  way,  not  less  pleasur- 
able work.  We  have  a  splendid  plant  in  the  fine  Ox- 
eye  Daisy,  Chrysanthemum  Maximum  King  Edward 
VII.,  which  we  can  buy  cheaply,  and  we  shall  find  will 
soon  establish  itself  securely.  Behind  it  we  may  set, 
if  we  like,  white  Hollyhocks.  We  must  remember  the 
white  Phloxes,  such  as  the  splendid  variety  Tapis  Blanc, 
and  we  must  certainly  also  recall  the  white  Canterbury 
Bell,  procurable  as  seedling  plants  in  spring,  or  to  be 
raised  by  sowing  out  of  doors  in  June.  It  is  branching 
and  free-flowered  to  a  degree  when  thinly  grown  from 
the  first,  and  will  be  perpetual  if  the  fading  flowers  are 
picked  off.  The  white  Rose  Mallow  (Lavatera  Alba)  is 
somewhat  less  compact  than  the  Canterbury  Bell;  in 
113  H 


THE  GARDEN  WEEK  BY  WEEK 
March  fact,  it  is  of  somewhat  straggly  growth,  but  it  is  a  plant 
^~^5  which  blooms  long,  late,  and  abundantly.  Moreover, 
it  can  be  had  in  the  flowering  stage  in  a  few  weeks  from 
seed  sown  out  of  doors.  Other  good  annuals  are  the 
white  Godetia  and  white  Candytuft,  both  of  which  flower 
freely,  and  hold  their  bloom  well.  White  Stocks  and 
Asters  are  the  best  of  the  half-hardy  annuals,  and  these 
are  raised  from  seed  sown  under  glass  this  month.     The 


^giplf  ••'^^        "% 


Fig,  31.— Grouping  Herbaceous  Plants. 


a.  Positions  for  dwarf  plants  at  the  front, 

i-  Positions  for  plants  of  medium  height, 

c.  Where  to  plant  the  tallest  subjects. 

d.  Grass  or  path,  as  the  case  may  be. 


white  Tobacco  (Nicotiana  Affinis),  should  not  be  for- 
gotten, as  it  flowers  profusely ;  it  can  be  raised  like  the 
Stocks  and  Asters. 

Is  the  reader  interested  in  this  idea  of  arranging 
colour  groups  in  his  herbaceous  borders  ?  If  so,  and 
he  would  like  to  carry  it  a  little  further,  he  can  put  a 
block  of  pink  next  to  his  white  one,  and  follow  with 
blue  and  yellow.  We  have  several  good  pink  flowers 
available.  To  begin  with,  pink  is  a  colour  fairly 
11^ 


-2  o 

«  5 

S  Q 

5  cs 

r^  P 


THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

common  in  Hollyhocks,  so  that  we  can  at  once  secure  March 
something  tall  for  the  back.  But  almost  more  desirable  ^~^5 
still  is  the  Sweet  Pea.  Countess  Spencer  is  a  brilliant 
pink,  and  the  more  freely  the  flowers  are  cut  the  longer 
the  plants  will  bloom.  The  Rose  Mallow  is  a  medium 
height  plant  that  has  the  great  merit  of  large  flowers 
and  continuous  blooming  ;  these  tend  to  compensate 
for  its  rather  straggly  habit.  The  pink  Canterbury  Bell 
will  be  splendid  in  early  summer,  and  a  sister  biennial 
that  is  somewhat  dwarfer,  but  equally  beautiful  in  colour, 
is  the  salmon-pink  Sweet  William.  Pyrethrums  and 
Paeonies  give  us  some  beautiful  pink  varieties,  and  both 
are  early  bloomers  ;  but  the  Pyrethrums  are  perpetual 
when  cut  over  after  the  first  blooming.  Two  very  fine 
annuals  are  available  in  dwarf  pink  Godetia  and  Clarkia 
Elegans,  both  of  which  last  well.  Silene  Pendula  Com- 
pacta  is  a  good  dwarf  pink  annual.  The  pink  Snap- 
dragon is  magnificent,  and  can  be  grown  from  seed  like 
an  annual.  It  can  be  got  tall,  medium,  or  dwarf.  The 
medium  is  the  best. 

When  we  get  to  blue  we  think  inevitably  of  Del- 
phiniums, grandest  of  all  the  blue  flowered  perennials. 
Their  tall  spikes  are  invaluable.  There  are  many  good 
blue  Sweet  Peas — none  better,  perhaps,  than  Frank 
Dolby  as  a  garden  variety.  Helen  Pierce  is  a  good 
veined  blue — a  variety,  too,  of  nice  garden  habit.  One 
of  the  very  best  of  blue-flowered  plants  is  Nigella  Miss 
Jekyll,  an  annual  which  may  be  raised  from  seed  out 
of  doors,  and  flowered  in  a  few  weeks.  It  is  neither 
more  nor  less  than  a  glorified  variety  of  the  blue  Love- 
in-a-mist.  The  colour  is  delightful,  the  flowers  are 
large,  and  the  blooming  is  continuous  till  the  autumn. 
This  is  a  plant  in  a  thousand.  We  can  get  deeper  blue 
in  Anchusa  Italica,Dropmore  variety,  which  is  a  favourite 
"5 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

March  with  hardy  plantsmen.  Of  quite  dwarf  plants  we  may 
I-15  take  Forget-me-nots,  Nemophila  Insignis,  and  PhaceHa 
Campanularia,  all  of  which  can  be  raised  from  seed,  the 
first  in  late  spring  for  blooming  the  following  year,  the 
other  two  in  early  spring  for  flowering  the  same 
year. 

We  do  not  get  yellow  in  abundance  among  tall  plants, 
but  a  Hollyhock  of  this  colour  can  be  got,  and  several  of 
the  Sweet  Peas  come  near  it,  notably  James  Grieve, 
which  is  a  good  garden  sort.  The  best  early-blooming 
plants  are  the  Leopard's  Bane  (Doronicum),  the  Globe 
Flower  (Trollius),  and  the  Wallflower  Belvoir  Castle  or 
some  other  selected  yellow.  The  yellow  Columbine 
(Aquilegia  Chrysantha)  follows  them  closely.  Among 
summer  flowers  of  dwarf  to  medium  height  there  are 
Snapdragon  Yellow  King,  or  some  other  selection  of 
the  same  colour  ;  Coreopsis  Grandiflora,  Iceland  Pop- 
pies, Calceolaria  Golden  Glory,  and  Carnation  Daffodil, 
or  some  other  good  yellow.  If  a  low  plant  is  wanted 
for  the  front,  Viola  Royal  Sovereign,  or  another  good 
yellow  sort,  should  be  chosen.  Hollyhock,  Carnation, 
Viola,  Leopard's  Bane  and  Globe  Flower  can  be  bought 
as  young  plants  in  spring.  All  the  rest  can  be  raised 
from  seed.  To  make  sure  of  having  the  Snapdragon 
in  bloom  by  mid-summer,  the  seed  should  be  sown  under 
glass  in  winter. 

Annuals  in  Herbaceous  Borders. — It  will  be  seen  that  I 
do  not  suggest  the  restriction  of  herbaceous  borders  to 
perennial  plants.  Annuals  are  very  useful,  because  of 
their  quick  flowering  from  outdoor-sown  seed,  their 
bright  colours,  and  their  cheapness.  When  people  get 
a  little  less  conventional  in  their  gardening,  they  will  not 
hesitate  to  sow  early-blooming  annuals  near  late-bloom- 
ing perennials,  and  late-flowering  annuals  near  early- 
116 


THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

blooming  herbaceous  plants.  When  I  say  "sow,"  I  March 
might  perhaps  say  "  sow  or  transplant  from  seed-boxes,"  ^"^5 
because  the  broader  expression  includes  the  setting  out 
of  such  things  as  Asters,  Stocks,  Verbenas,  Phloxes, 
Petunias,  Snapdragons  and  Indian  Pinks,  which  are 
sown  under  glass  in  January,  February  or  March,  and 
transplanted  to  the  borders  in  April,  May  or  June.  It  is 
useful  to  have  a  "reserve  plot"  somewhere  in  the  garden 
— a  kind  of  "  stores  department " — of  such  seedhng 
plants.  Raised  under  glass,  they  can  be  put  out  a  few 
inches  apart  in  the  reserve  garden  in  late  spring,  hoed 
to  keep  them  growing  and  to  suppress  weeds,  and  drawn 
upon  when  any  part  of  the  border  wants  reinforcing, 
either  owing  to  an  unexpected  failure,  or  owing  to  the 
fading  of  an  early  plant. 

Some  Selected  Perennials. — From  the  plants  already 
named,  the  amateur  could  build  up  a  very  attractive 
border;  but  if  he  prefers  the  mixed  system,  he  may  be 
glad  to  have  the  names  of  a  few  good  hardy  herba- 
ceous plants,  with  a  guide  to  their  height  and  colour.  All 
may  be  bought  and  planted  in  March  or  April.  The 
lists,  with  notes  to  follow,  provide  the  guide  to  the 
hardy  plant  catalogues  which  I  promised  in  an  earlier 
chapter. 

Very  Low  Growers 

Ajuga  Reptans,  blue  Hepaticas,  blue,  white,  and  pink 

Anemone  Apennina,  blue  Linaria  Alpina,  violet 

Arabis,  white  Myosotis  (Forget-me-not),  blue 
Aubrietia,  rose,  lavender,  mauve,  Omphalodes  Verna,  blue 

and  purple  Phlox  Reptans,  violet 

Campanula  Pulla,  blue  Primroses  and  Polyanthuses 

Cyclamen  Coum,  rose  Sanguinaria  Canadensis,  red 

Dianthus  Alpinus,  pink  Silene  Alpestris,  white 


Draba  Aizoides,  yellow 


117 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 


March 
1-15 


Dwarf  Growers 


Achillea  Clavennae,  white 
Alyssum  Saxatile  Compactum, 

yellow 
Aster    Alpinus     (Michaelmas 

Daisy),  purple 
Campanula  Carpathica,  blue 
„  „    Alba,  white 

Corydalis  Lutea,  yellow 
Dianthus  (Pinks),  in  variety 
Erigeron  Aurantiacus,  orange 
Geranium  Endressi,  pink 


Iberis    (perennial     Candytuft), 

white 
Inula  Glandulosa,  orange 
Meconopsis  Cambrica  (Welsh 

Poppy),  yellow 
Ourisia  Coccinea,  red 
Plumbago  Larpentae,  violet 
Primula  Denticulata,  lilac 
Thalictrum  Anemonoides,  pink 
Trollius  (Globe  Flower),  yellow 


Dwarf  to  Medium  Growers 


Achillea  The  Pearl,  white 
Adonis  Vernalis,  yellow 
Anthericum,  white 
Aquilegias  (Columbines),  vari- 
ous colours 
Aster  Amellus,  purple 

„      Dumosus,  mauve 
Calceolaria     Golden     Glory, 

yellow 
Chrysanthemums,  in  variety 
Coreopsis  Grandiflora,  yellow 
Doronicums,  yellow 
Erigeron  Manescavi,  pink 
Evening  Primroses,  in  variety 
Gaillardias,  in  variety 
Geranium  Sanguineum,  red 


Gerbera  Jamesoni    (Barberton 

Daisy),  orange 
Geum  Coccineum,  red 
Hemerocallis,  orange 
Heucheras,  in  variety 
Incarvillea  Delavayi,  crimson 
Lobelia  Cardinalis,  red 
Papavers  (Poppies),  various 
Phlox  Canadensis,  various 
Polemonium  coeruleum,  blue 
Primula  Japonica,  rose 
Pyrethrums,  in  variety 
Senecio  Pulcher,  purple 
Spiraeas,  various 
Stokesia  Cyanea  Praecox,  blue 
Tiarella  (Foam  Flower),  white 


Medium  Growers 


Alstromerias,  in  variety 
Anemone  Japonica,  and  varieties 
Campanula  Persicifolia,  blue 

„  „       Alba,  white 

Chrysanthemum  Maximum,  in 

variety 
Geranium  Pratense,  blue 
Gypsophila  Paniculata,  white 
Iris,  German,  various  colours 


double 


Liliums,  various 
Lychnis     Vespertina, 

white 
Michaelmas  Daisies,  in  variety 
Paeonies,  in  variety 
Pentstemons,  in  variety 
Phloxes,  in  variety 
Spiraeas,  in  variety 
Veronicas,  in  variety 
118 


THE  DAWN   OF   SPRING 

Tall  Growers 

Aconitum  (Monkshood),  blue  Hollyhocks,  in  variety 

Asters,  perennial,  in  variety  Kniphofias  (Tritoma),  in  variety 

Bocconia  (Plume  Poppy),  cream  Liliums,  in  variety 

Delphiniums,  mostly  blue  Michaelmas  Daisies,  in  variety 

Epilobium  (Willow  Herb),  red  Polygonum      Baldschuanicum, 

Eremurus  Himalaicus,  white  white 

Galega  (Goat's  Rue),  lavender  Romneya  Coulteri,  white 

and  white  Rudbeckias,  in  variety 

Gynerium  (Pampas  Grass),white  Solidago  (Golden  Rod),  yellow 

Helianthus(Sunflower),  in  variety  Verbascums  (Mulleins),  yellow 

Christmas  Roses,  Crocuses,  Crown  Imperials,  Daffo- 
dils, Gladioli,  Galtonia  (Hyacinthus)  Candicans,  Tulips, 
and  other  bulbous  and  allied  plants  will  also  prove 
useful. 

Half-hardy  Annuals. — In  our  glance  through  the  seed 
catalogues  we  saw  that  Asters,  Ten-week  Stocks,  Neme- 
sias,  Marigolds,  Phlox  Drummondii,  and  Zinnias  could 
be  procured  in  mixed  packets,  or  in  assortments  of 
separate  colours.  The  latter  are  only  superior  when 
colour  grouping  or  bedding  is  desired.  Early  March  is 
a  good  time  to  sow,  because  then  there  is  a  prospect  of 
their  being  strong  when  the  time  comes  for  putting  them 
out  of  doors.  It  is  an  advantage  to  have  a  hotbed, 
because  the  seeds  germinate  the  quicker  for  bottom 
heat ;  but  they  will  grow  in  a  warm  greenhouse.  The 
hints  on  sowing  small  seeds  given  in  the  first  chapter 
may  be  followed.  The  great  points  are — (i)  fine,  moist 
soil ;  (2)  thin  sowing ;  (3)  light  covering ;  (4)  careful 
watering ;  (5)  abundant  ventilation  directly  the  plants 
come  through  ;  (6)  early  pricking-off  to  prevent  over- 
crowding. In  the  absence  of  a  greenhouse,  and  if  there 
is  only  one  frame,  it  will  be  wise  to  defer  sowing  for  a 
month,  as  it  is  dangerous  to  raise  plants  in  a  hotbed 
119 


March 
1-15 


March 
I-I5 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

frame  and  have  nowhere  to  harden  them.     The  seeds 
will  germinate  in  an  unheated  frame  in  April. 

Propagating  Dahlias. — With  mild  weather  there  may 
be  signs  of  growth  in  the  Dahlia  stools  that  were  taken 
up  and  stored  in  autumn.  Should  there  be  no  such 
signs,  the  grower  who  wishes  to  get  some  shoots  for 
early  cuttings  can  easily  stimulate  the  roots  by  putting 
them  in   heat.    As   soon   as   growth   starts   the   tubers 

ought  to  be  raised  near 
the  glass,  so  that  the 
shoots  may  be  kept 
short  and  sturdy.  If 
the  stools  are  left  in 
a  low,  semi-dark  place, 
such  as  under  a  green- 
house stage,  the  shoots 
become  long  and  weak. 
The  shoots  make  good 
cuttings  when  they 
are  thickset,  and  about 
three  inches  long. 
They  should  be  taken 
off  without  any  of  the 
neck  to  which  they  are 
attached,  and  inserted 
singly  in  3-inch  pots,  in  very  sandy  soil.  They  should  be 
made  quite  firm.  With  warmth  they  will  soon  strike  root. 
If  kept  near  the  glass  (and  in  April  they  will  be  safe  in  a 
frame,  with  protection  in  frosty  weather)  they  will  extend 
slowly,  but  sturdily,  and  by  the  end  of  May  will  be  about 
a  foot  high,  strong,  short-jointed,  and  just  right  for 
planting.  Buyers  of  Dahlias  should  not  try  to  get  the 
plants  from  the  nurseryman  yet ;  in  the  first  place 
because  he  has  not  had  time  to  get  his  stock  prepared, 


Fig.  3«.— Propagating  Dahlias. 

a.  A  cluster  of  old  tubers. 

b.  Young  growths. 

C.  One  suitable  for  a  cutting. 

d.  Cutting  prepared  for  insertion, 

«.  Cutting  inserted  in  a  deep  flower  pot. 


^-.-^^k^M 

iKP^^ll 

L  -r^     ^?^^-i%  V      > 

^^'    'm 

^   .    ^ 

J 

&:^'  !! 

1    *#<!^ 

4 
> 

S»#  ^" 

%^|r^ 

i 

Nemesia  strumosa  Suttoni— a  pretty  and  free-flowering 
half-hardy  annual  for  greenhouse  or  garden. 


THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

and  in  the  second  because,  if  he  had,  they  could  not  be    March 
planted  for  several  weeks.     But  it  may  be  desirable  to      ^"^5 
order  the  plants  now,  for  delivery  in  May,  especially  if 
new  and  scarce  varieties  are  wanted,  to  avoid  the  risk  of 
the  dealer  being  sold  out  of  special  sorts  required. 

Planting  Roses. — In  the  autumn  chapters  I  give  the 
orthodox  advice  about  planting  Roses,  but  what  of  the 
amateur  who,  about  to  begin  gardening,  reads  this  book 
in  spring  ?  He  will  want  to  know  if  he  really  must  wait 
until  autumn  before  he  plants — if  he  actually  must  miss 
the  whole  of  the  season  before  him  ?  I  hasten  to  assure 
him  that  he  is  under  no  such  painful  obligation.  Nay^ 
more,  I  give  him  my  unsullied  word  that  I  have  planted 
many  thousands  of  Roses,  have  planted  the  greater  part 
of  them,  from  force  of  circumstances,  in  spring,  and  had 
no  failures  worthy  of  the  name,  all  that  I  have  had  to 
deplore  being  the  loss  of  an  odd  plant  here  and  there.  I 
have  never  seriously  assured  myself  that  I  prefer  planting 
Roses  in  spring  to  planting  them  in  autumn,  it  has 
merely  happened  that  I  have  had  to  do  so  ;  yet  so  uni- 
formly successful  have  been  the  results  that  I  find  myself 
not  infrequently  arguing  in  favour  of  spring  planting 
with  too-strenuous  opponents  of  it.  I  do  not  aggres- 
sively assert  that  spring  planting  is  superior  to  autumn, 
but  if  I  hear  a  rosarian  condemning  spring  planting  in 
toto,  I  feel  impelled  to  rise  and  crush  him  with  figures. 
Of  course  he  never  is  crushed,  really  ;  one  cannot  abso- 
lutely squelch  a  rosarian — the  most  that  one  can  hope 
for  is  his  temporary  subsidence  under  an  avalanche  of 
statistics. 

Spring  is  a  wide  term,  and  there  is  a  world  of 
difference,  speaking  horticulturally,  between  early  spring 
and  late  spring.  The  greater  part  of  June  is  spring,  but 
who  would  plant  Roses   in   June,   except   from   pots? 

121 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

March  Roses  may  be  dug  from  the  open  ground,  and  planted, 
i~^5  at  the  beginning  of  spring,  but  not  at  the  end.  It  is 
understood,  therefore,  that  when  I  speak  of  spring 
planting  I  do  not  mean  that  outdoor  Roses  may  be 
planted  any  time  during  the  spring  season.  I  use  the 
term  "spring"  in  the  planting  sense,  and  that  is  March 
and  early  April.  All  classes  of  Roses  may  be  planted 
during  that  period  —  pillar,  arch,  dwarf,  weeping, 
standard. 

The  planter  must  be  prepared  to  allow  the  nursery- 
man a  little  more  latitude  as  respects  varieties  than  he 
would  in  autumn.  The  dealer  must  be  forgiven  if  he 
sends  a  few  substitutes,  because  he  has  been  selling 
Roses  for  several  months,  and  it  is  not  unlikely  that  he 
has  sold  out  of  a  few  popular  sorts. 

Delay  in  planting  is  more  dangerous  in  spring  than  in 
autumn,  because  hot  weather  is  coming  near.  That  is 
why  the  ground  should  be  prepared  as  soon  as  possible 
— even  in  January  or  February,  as  our  two  first  chapters 
advised.  With  the  soil  quite  ready  the  plants  can  be  put 
in  immediately  they  come,  unless  the  ground  is  frozen, 
or  too  wet,  in  which  case  the  first  opportunity  should  be 
taken.  The  holes  need  not  be  deep ;  it  suffices  if  the 
roots  are  just  covered.  The  soil  should  be  trodden 
firmly  amongst  them. 

Pruning  Newly-planted  Pillar  or  Wall  Roses. — If  an 
amateur  rosarian  were  to  ask  one  particular  trade  grower 
whether  he  ought  to  cut  back  newly-planted  pillar,  arch, 
or  wall  Roses,  the  expert  might  cry  :  "  Certainly  not  ! " 
If  the  amateur  were  to  ask  another  nurseryman,  the  latter 
would  probably  answer  with  equal  emphasis  :  "  By  all 
means."  Poor  amateur  gardener  !  What  is  he  to  do  ? 
How  is  he  to  decide  which  of  the  two  is  right  ?  I  think 
I  can  help.     I  have  noticed  that  those  experts  who  are 


THE   DAWN   OF  SPRING 

against  the  cutting  back  of  climbing  Roses  have  a  rich, 
deep  soil,  and  live  in  a  district  where  they  commonly  get 
rains  in  late  spring.  Those  conditions  favour  speedy 
establishment  and  rapid  growth.  The  growers  who 
favour  cutting  back  have  a  drier  and  less  fertile  soil,  in 
which  the  plants  only  establish  themselves  slowly.  If  a 
horse  has  an  uphill  journey,  we  give  him  a  lighter  load 
than  if  he  has  a  level  road  before  him.  The  root  system 
of  a  Rose  with  a  number  of  long  shoots,  each  furnished 
with  several  scores  of  buds,  which  want  sap  sent  up  from 
the  roots,  has  a  heavy  load.  If  the  soil  is  rich  and  rains 
come,  the  road  is  level ;  if  the  ground  is  dry  and  poor, 
the  road  is  hilly.  In  the  former  case  the  burden  can  be 
borne,  in  the  latter  it  is  too  heavy,  and  should  be  re- 
duced. Is  it  clear  now  ?  I  have  often  found  amateur 
rosarians  with  poor  land  reluctant  to  cut  back  newly- 
planted  Roses,  but  I  never  yet  found  one  who,  when  he 
at  last  screwed  himself  up  to  do  the  deed,  regretted  it 
afterwards.  When  I  speak  of  cutting  back  I  really  mean 
it.  It  is  not  a  case  of  snipping  off  an  inch  and  a  quarter 
of  the  tips  with  a  small  pocket-knife  or  a  pair  of  nail- 
scissors,  but  of  cutting  the  plants  back  to  within  six  inches 
of  the  ground.  The  only  Roses  that  I  would  except 
are  the  very  vigorous  Roses  of  the  Wichuraiana  class,  of 
which  Dorothy  Perkins,  Alberic  Barbier,  and  Ruga  are 
shining  (literally  shining — look  at  the  glossiness  of  the 
leaves)  examples.  These  Roses  have  such  marvellous 
root-power  that  no  load  is  too  heavy,  and  no  hill  too 
steep  for  them.  They  have  strength,  and  speed,  and 
stamina  in  a  degree  that  no  other  class  possesses. 

As  far  as  dwarf  and  standard  Roses  are  concerned,  I 
unhesitatingly  advise  severe  pruning  for  newly-planted 
trees.     You  are  told,  or  you  read  in  some  learned  publi- 
cation, that  some  varieties  only  need  light  pruning.    That 
123 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

is  all  right  enough — I  have  said  the  same  thing  myself. 
But  you  are  to  observe,  please,  that  it  applies  to  estab- 
lished plants,  and  that  I  am  now  speaking  of  newly- 
planted  ones. 

Some  quick-witted  reader  may  throw  my  parallel 
about  the  burdened  horse  and  the  character  of  the  road 
at  me,  and  demand  to  know  why  what  applies  to  pillar, 
arch,  wall,  and  pergola  Roses  should  not  apply  to  dwarfs 
and  standards  also.  I  admire  the  sharpness,  but  I  ask 
the  critic  to  think  a  moment  longer.  Ah  I  he  sees  it,  of 
course.  We  want  something  clothing  that  pillar,  that 
arch,  that  wall,  that  pergola,  from  the  very  first,  if  we  can 
get  it.  And  we  are  so  anxious  that  it  should  not  go  bare 
a  moment  longer  than  is  necessary,  that  where  we  can 
strain  a  point  we  do. 

The  lateral  shoots  of  all  dwarf  and  standard  Roses 
should,  I  think,  be  pruned  back  to  within  three  or  four 
buds  of  the  base  soon  after  planting,  whatever  the  soil, 
and  whatever  the  variety.  This  severe  early  pruning 
is  like  the  billiard  player's  "miss  in  baulk."  It  is  a 
policy  of  avoiding  risks.  It  is  "playing  for  safety." 
At  billiards  our  opponent  may  reply  with  another  safety 
miss,  but  Nature  never  does  that  with  Roses.  She 
responds  with  bold  play.  She  lays  herself  down  to 
work,  and  plays  sweeping  strokes  with  power  and  pre- 
cision. The  little  buds  on  the  stumps  which  we  have 
left  soon  break  into  stems  and  green  leaves.  They  are 
an  inch  long,  six  inches,  a  foot;  there  are  actually 
flowers  !     And  all  in  a  few  short  weeks. 

The  Early  Pruning  of  Established  Roses. — With  a 
mild  February,  the  Roses  which  we  already  have  in  the 
garden  may  be  fairly  in  growth  when  March  opens ; 
indeed,  in  mild  districts  they  are  almost  certain  to  be 
moving.  Naturally,  the  question  of  the  annual  pruning 
124 


THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

crops  up.  In  those  learned  publications  which  I  have 
referred  to  I  do  not  think  that  the  inquiring  amateur 
will  ever  find  that  pruning  is  discouraged  entirely  ;  it  is 
merely  a  question  of  degree.  Practically  all  Roses  are 
the  better  for  pruning  of  some  sort,  and  the  really 
practical  question  is  not,  "  Shall  we  prune  ?  "  but,  "  How 
much  shall  we  prune  ?  "  Well,  I  leave  even  the  latter 
for  a  moment,  because  I  recognise  that  the  point  of  time 
is  also  important.  The  beginning  of  March  is  certainly 
too  early  to  do  the  annual  pruning  in  any  district  where 
there  is  danger  of  a  late  spring  frost.  The  harder  the 
pruning,  the  more  dangerous  it  is  to  prune  early.  Mark 
that  the  result  of  pruning  is  to  stimulate  the  slow  moving 
lower  buds.  Wise  Nature  has  arranged  that  the  back 
buds  shall  be  later  in  starting  than  the  front  buds,  and 
if  the  shoots,  which  the  latter  push  early,  are  injured, 
there  is  a  reserve  down  below.  But  if  the  grower  prunes 
hard  early  he  starts  the  back  buds,  which  are  then  no 
longer  reserves ;  they  are  the  "  fighting  line  "  itself,  and 
if  they  are  crumpled  up  by  a  withering  fire  of  April 
frost  the  case  is  desperate.  I  grant  that  Roses  which 
are  breaking  strongly  in  March  should  be  pruned,  but 
I  do  not  think  that  they  should  have  the  regulation 
"  annual  pruning,"  unless,  indeed,  they  are  sorts  which 
would  not  be  pruned  much  in  any  case.  The  early 
pruning  of  Roses  that  are  to  be  cut  hard  should  be 
limited  to  removing  the  growing  tips.  The  full  pruning 
may  be  done  a  month  later. 

Good  Roses  for  Beds. — For  the  benefit  of  those  who 
are  planting  Roses  in  spring,  I  may  give  the  names 
of  a  few  vigorous,  free-blooming  varieties,  which  are 
good  for  beds  and  groups,  classified  according  to 
colour.  The  letters  after  the  names  indicate  the 
sections,  thus  :  H.P.,  Hybrid  Perpetual  ;  H.T.,  Hybrid 
125 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

March   Tea;   T.,  Tea-scented;    C,  China;    P.,  Polyantha ;    R., 
^""•^5      Rugosa. 

Light  Crimson 

Charlotte  Klemm  (C.)  Hugh  Dickson  (H.P.) 

Corallina  (T.)  ^Richmond  (H.T.) 

Ecarlate  (H.T.) 

Deep  Critnson 

Charles  Lefebvre  (H.P.)  Princesse  de  Sagan  (T.) 

*Gruss  an  Teplitz  (H.T.)  Warrior  (T.) 

Marquise  de  Salisbury  (H.T.) 

Yellow  and  Copper 

Gustave  Regis  (H.T.)  Madame  Melanie  Soupert  (H.T.) 

Joseph  Hill  (H.T.)  Madame  Pernet  Ducher  (H.T.) 

Lady  Roberts  (T.)  *Mrs.  Dudley  Cross  (T.) 

♦Leonie  Lamesch  (P.)  Souvenir  de  Pierre  Notting  (T.) 

Marone 
Abel  Carriere  (H.P.)  *Xavier  Olibo  (H.P.) 

Rose 

Lady  Ashtown  (H.T.)  *Madame  Abel  Chatenay  (H.T.) 

Lady  Battersea  (H.T.)  Madame  Jules  Grolez  (H.T.) 

Pink 

Betty  (H.T.)  Killarney  (H.T.) 

Caroline  Testout  (H.T.)  La  France  (H.T.) 

Conrad  F.  Meyer  (R.)  Lady  Ashtown  (H.T.) 

♦Earl  of  Warwick  (H.T.)  Mrs.  John  Laing  (H.P.) 

Edu  Meyer  (H.T.)  *Mrs.  W.  H.  Cutbush  (P.) 

WJiite  and  Blush 

Antoine  Rivoire  (H.T.)  *Peace  (T.) 

*Frau  Karl  Druschki  (H.P.)  *Prince  de  Bulgarie  (H.T.) 

*G.  Nabonnand  (T.)  White  Maman  Cochet  (T.) 

*  For   a  smaller  number,  take   those   marked   with  an   asterisk.     The 
include  both  early  and  late  bloomers. 

126 


THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

Climbing  and  Weeping  Roses. — Climbing  Roses,  suit- 
able for  arches,  pillars,  pergolas,  walls,  and  summer- 
houses  are  abundant.  Varieties  suitable  for  growing 
as  standards,  and  drooping  their  branches,  are  less 
numerous. 

Climbing  Roses 

Alberic  Barbier,  white  Felicitd  et  Perpdtue,  white 

Carmine  Pillar,  carmine  Madame  Alfred  Carrifere 
Crimson  Rambler,  red  (wall),  white 

Dorothy  Perkins,  pink  Mrs.  F.  W.  Flight,  rose 

Weeping  Standard  Roses 

Alberic  Barbier,  white  Hiawatha,  red  and  white 

Dorothy  Perkins,  pink 

Planting  Carnations. — It  is  not  of  vital  importance 
that  Carnations  be  planted  during  the  first  half  of  March, 
and  yet  I  think  that  the  earlier  in  the  spring  (remember 
March  and  early  April  are  the  spring  planting  season) 
that  they  are  planted  the  better.  I  write  this  with  an 
eye  both  to  those  who  have  been  wintering  plants  in 
frames  which  were  layered  in  the  garden  last  summer, 
and  to  those  who  are  making  a  complete  start  by  buying 
a  stock  of  plants.  It  may  be  pointed  out  that  present 
planting  exposes  the  Carnations  to  the  risk  of  late 
frosts.  It  does,  but  what  of  it  ?  The  plant  is  not  really 
tender,  like  a  Dahlia  or  a  Begonia.  It  is  intrinsically 
hardy.  True,  Carnations  are  killed  sometimes  in  a  very 
severe  winter,  as  other  reputedly  hardy  plants  are,  but 
there  is  not  likely  to  be  a  frost  in  spring  severe  enough 
to  hurt  them.  The  advantages  of  early  planting  are 
twofold.  In  the  first  place,  the  plants  are  removed  from 
the  comparatively  enervating  atmosphere  of  the  frames  ; 
and  in  the  second,  they  have  ample  time  to  get  well 
established  before  the  hot  weather  comes  on.  I  advise 
that  the  bed  be  well  dug,  and,  if  the  soil  is  stiff,  that 
127 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

March  some  wood-ashes  and  mortar  rubbish  be  dug  in. 
I~I5  Manure  will  not  be  needed  in  such  ground,  but  in 
the  case  of  poor,  dry,  shallow  soil  a  dressing  will  be 
advantageous.  Where  the  soil  is  rich  the  plants  should 
be  put  in  two  feet  apart,  but  eighteen  inches  will  suffice 
in  poorer  soil.  They  should  be  planted  firmly,  and 
later  on,  when  the  flower  stems  rise,  supplied  with 
stakes.     Wire  out  rabbits. 

In  making  a  choice  of  Carnations,  amateurs  should 
take  care  to  select  varieties  which  not  only  produce  nice 
flowers,  but  are  also  good  growers.  Here  are  the  names 
of  a  few  such  : 

Agnes  Sorel,  dark  crimson  Lady  Nina  Balfour,  light  pink 

Barras,  scarlet  Mrs.  Eric  Hambro,  white 

Daflfodil,  yellow  Queen  of  Bedders,  pink 

Henry  Falkland,  yellow  ground  Raby  Castle,  salmon  pink 

Hildegarde,  white  Sir  R.  Waldie  Griffith,  apricot 

A  Hint  about  Wireworni. — The  mention  of  Carna- 
tions reminds  me  to  give  a  hint  about  that  inveterate 
enemy  of  this  and  many  other  beautiful  and  useful 
plants,  the  wireworm.  Does  the  reader  who  is  be- 
ginning gardening  realise  that  he  will  have  some  diffi- 
culties to  encounter?  I  hope  so,  because  then  he  will 
not  suffer  disillusionment.  Many  forget  that  plants 
have  enemies,  both  insect  and  fungoid,  which  have  to 
be  fought  and  subdued,  or  the  garden  will  be  a  failure. 
There  is  no  ground  enemy  more  destructive  than  wire- 
worm.  It  is  about  an  inch  long,  yellowish  in  colour, 
and  as  thick  as  a  pin's  head.  It  is  so  hard  that  no 
ordinary  pressure  hurts  it,  but  a  determined  grinding 
between  the  boot  heel  and  a  stone  generally  suffices. 
Many  people  hate  the  idea  of  killing  anything,  by  open 
contact  at  all  events,  and  they  will  be  glad  to  hear  of 
a  preparation  which,  if  put  into  the  soil  in  accordance 


THE    DAWN   OF   SPRING 

with  the  advice  of  the  manufacturers,  will  destroy  the    March 
enemy  in  the  ground.     It  is  called  Apterite,  and  it  can      ^~^5 
be  bought  from  nurserymen.     One  often  sees  it  adver- 
tised in  gardening  papers. 

And  a  Hint  about  Slugs. — What  the  wire  worm  is 
under  ground,  the  slug  is  above  it — a  voracious,  ex- 
asperating enemy,  with  no  limits  to  its  appetite.  The 
slug  has  its  favourite  dishes,  but  if  they  are  not  about 
he  will  make  shift  with  something  else,  and  the  some- 
thing else  may  be  a  special  plant.  I  countenance  no 
parley  with  slugs — no  armistice,  no  white  flag.  It  is  war 
to  the  bitter  end — a  war  of  extermination.  The  slug 
gives  no  quarter,  and  must  receive  none.  Alas  !  that 
anything  associated  with  gentle  gardening  should  arouse 
this  spirit  of  destruction  in  us  !  I  will  listen  patiently 
to  any  homily  which  a  humanitarian  may  think  fit  to 
address  to  me  because  of  this  bloodthirsty  talk,  but  no 
slug  had  better  presume  on  it  to  get  in  my  way  after- 
wards. The  mildest  human  being  can  boil  up  on 
occasion ;  it  is  only  a  case  of  getting  provocation 
enough,  and  of  all  aggravating  things  the  destruction 
of  a  bed  of  seedlings  by  slugs  is  the  worst.  One  can 
better  endure  an  all-round  decline  in  one's  investments. 
The  particular  hint  that  I  was  going  to  offer  about  slugs 
was  to  scatter  Sanitas  powder  on  the  soil  among  the 
plants.  Slugs  simply  loathe  it,  and  if  it  is  used  will 
retreat  on  neighbours'  gardens  in  disgust.  We  can  all 
endure  slugs  in  our  neighbours'  gardens  very  well. 
Failing  Sanitas,  try  repeated  dustings  of  dry  lime  at 
night.     Both  require  renewal  after  rain. 

Violas  for  Beds  and  Borders. — The  Viola  is  on  the 

same  plane  as  the  Carnation.     It  is  a  hardy  plant  that 

is  often  grown  under  glass  during  part  of   its  life.     It 

is  common,  for  instance,  to   take   cuttings  of  Violas  in 

129  I 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY    WEEK 

March  the  autumn,  and  insert  them  in  a  frame.  They  take 
^"^5  advantage  of  mild  spells  to  push  roots,  and  by  March 
are  generally  transformed  into  young  growing  plants. 
Owners  of  such,  and  buyers  of  plants,  will  be  wise  to 
put  them  out  during  the  first  favourable  weather  in 
March.  They  make  very  pretty  beds,  and  may  be  used 
as  principals  if  desired  ;  but  they  are  often  used  as  a 
carpeting  for  beds  in  which  larger  plants  are  grown. 
They  also  come  in  admirably  for  margins  to  beds 
and  borders.  Amateurs  should  give  special  attention 
to  these  plants,  because  freedom  of  growth,  profuse 
blooming,  brilliant  colours,  and  long  duration  of  beauty 
are  united  in  them.  In  rich  soil  the  plants  should  be 
inserted  a  foot  apart,  in  poor  ground  nine  inches.  The 
following  will  be  found  good  varieties  : 

Councillor  Waters,  purplish  Primrose  Dame,  primrose 

crimson  Royal  Sovereign,  yellow 

Duchess  of  York,  white  Seagull,  white 

Ithuriel,  azure  True  Blue,  blue 

J.  B.  Riding,  rosy  purple  William  Neil,  lavender 

Sweet  Violets  in  Spring. — Violets  are  often  put  into 
frames  in  autumn,  in  the  hope  that,  with  manure  and 
rich  soil  under  them  and  glass  above,  they  will  yield 
flowers  during  mild  spells  right  through  the  winter. 
This  they  do  in  abundance  if  the  right  sorts  are  chosen. 
The  plants  grow  freely  in  spring,  and  the  opportunity 
should  be  taken  of  increasing  the  stock.  It  will  pro- 
bably be  found  that  some  of  the  sorts  have  what 
gardeners  term  "  offsets "  around  them — subsidiary 
growths  that  are  nearly,  but  not  quite,  individual  plants. 
They  are  tufty  growths,  with  a  few  roots  at  the  base. 
Take  them  off,  and  insert  them  firmly,  preferably  in  a 
position  where  there  is  shade  during  the  hottest  part 
130 


*      THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

of  the  day.  In  other  sorts  the  outer  growths  may  be  March 
more  Hke  "runners,"  being  small  growths,  with  in-  I~I5 
cipient  roots,  quite  clear  of  the  mother  plants.  These 
will  root  where  they  are  if  the  soil  is  pressed  around 
them,  and  when  they  are  established  they  can  be  planted 
out.  The  amateur  will  be  wise  to  propagate  most  of 
the  following  varieties  : 

Single  Double 

La  France,  metallic  blue  Comte  de  Brazza,  white 

Princess  of  Wales,  violet  Marie  Louise,  lavender 

Seedling  Begonias  and  other  Choice  Flowers. — It  is  in 
the  very  early  stages  of  small-seeded  plants  like  tuberous 
Begonias,  herbaceous  Calceolarias  and  Gloxinias  that 
the  most  care  is  required  with  seedlings,  as  they  are 
very  liable  to  damp  off.  I  have  already  said  that  careful 
ventilation  and  watering  are  highly  important.  Attention 
to  these  matters  must  be  continued  now  that  the  little 
plants  have  got  beyond  the  most  dangerous  stage,  as 
they  have  a  great  bearing  on  the  progress  of  the  seed- 
lings. The  plants  should  never  be  allowed  to  stand  in  a 
crowded  state,  never  be  flooded  with  water  through  a 
spout,  never  be  shut  up  in  a  close,  warm  case.  They 
should  be  set  out  three  or  four  inches  apart  directly 
they  begin  to  thicken  into  a  mass,  watered  through  a 
fine  rose,  have  a  light  position  close  to  the  glass,  and 
receive  as  much  air  as  can  be  given  without  subject- 
ing them  to  cold  draughts.  When  pricked-off  plants 
begin  to  crowd  in  the  boxes,  each  should  have  a  3-inch 
pot,  from  which  they  can  be  transferred  to  a  5-inch  or 
6-inch  when  they  have  filled  the  former  with  roots. 
Three  parts  of  loam,  and  the  remainder  of  leaf  mould 
and  sand  in  equal  parts,  will  make  a  suitable  potting 
compost. 

131 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

March  VariousTubers. — Those  who  have  tubers  of  Begonias, 

I~I5  Gloxinias,  Caladiums,  Gesneras,  Streptocarpuses,  or  Achi- 
menes  may  start  them  into  growth  now.  I  Hke  to  lay 
the  tubers  in  moist  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse  in  a  warm 
house  or  frame,  and  keep  them  there  until  the  shoots 
have  pushed  an  inch,  then  to  pot  them.  So  far  as  the 
Begonias  which  are  to  go  into  outdoor  beds  are  con- 
cerned, they  need  not  be  started  in  heat,  as  there  is  no 
advantage  in  getting  the  plants  very  forward — the  con- 
trary, because  they  cannot  be  put  out  for  several  weeks, 
and  when  made  tender  by  heat  they  have  to  be  kept 
in  possibly  overcrowded  houses,  when,  otherwise,  they 
would  be  quite  safe  in  a  frame. 

Bedding  Plants.- — I  have  elsewhere  said  that  the 
"  Bedding  system,"  which  hardy  plant  lovers  thought 
had  been  decently  interred  years  ago,  is  still  very  much 
alive.  I  do  not  favour  it,  but  have  to  take  facts  as  they 
are.  Doubtless  there  are  many  among  my  readers  who 
have,  or  intend  to  buy.  Zonal  Geraniums,  yellow 
shrubby  Calceolarias,  blue  Lobelias,  and  other  tender 
plants  used  in  summer  flower  beds.  The  bedding  out 
man  "  feels  the  lash  "  in  spring.  His  plants  may  not 
have  been  taking  up  much  room  during  the  winter, 
and  therefore  have  caused  no  overcrowding,  but  with 
mild  weather  in  spring  they  will  begin  to  grow.  Cut- 
tings of  Geraniums  crowded  in  boxes  will  begin  to 
extend  ;  old  plants  that  were  cropped  in  and  packed 
close  together  will  begin  to  throw  out  shoots.  This 
extension  of  growth  leads  to  much  pressure  on  space, 
and  causes  one  of  the  chief  cultural  drawbacks  to  the 
home  propagation  of  tender  bedders.  The  plants 
may  be  potted,  or  put  a  few  inches  apart  in  shallow 
boxes.  They  ought  to  be  placed  on  shelves,  or  other- 
wise found  a  position  near  the  glass.     Where  there  is 


THE   DAWN    OF   SPRING 

a    shortage   of    stock,    cuttings  of    Coleuses,    Lobelias,    March 
Ageratums,  and  Verbenas  may  be  struck  now.  ^"^5 

Those  who  intend  to  buy  the  stock  of  bedding  plants 
which  they  require  need  not  do  so  now,  as  it  will  give 
them  the  trouble  of  preserving  the  plants  for  several 
weeks.     May  will  be  early  enough. 

Ferns 

Graceful  and  popular  Ferns  like  the  Maidenhair,  the 
Ribbon,  the  Hartstongue,  the  Spleenworts,  the  Lady, 
the  Male,  the  Ostrich,  and  the  Royal  are  grown  in  many 
thousands  of  gardens,  some  being  cultivated  under  glass, 
and  others  out  of  doors. 

Probably  Fern-lovers  increase  in  numbers  every 
year,  certainly  the  species  and  varieties  do.  It  is  always 
a  matter  of  interest  to  look  over  a  collection  of  Ferns 
at  one  of  the  great  flower  shows,  picking  out  old 
favourites,  and  jotting  down  the  names  and  descriptions 
of  new-comers.  If  it  is  a  hot  day  we  linger  a  long  timet 
because  the  very  look  of  the  Ferns  seems  to  cool  us. 
By  an  association  of  ideas  we  find  ourselves  among  the 
wet  stones  of  some  Cornish  cave,  or  in  a  shady  Devon- 
shire lane. 

In  some  private  gardens  one  finds  an  indoor  Fernery 
— a  cool  and  humid  retreat  where  cunning  hands  have 
devised  a  large,  irregular  cave  from  imported  boulders 
in  so  ingenious  a  way  that  one  is  almost  cheated  into 
the  belief  that  it  is  natural.  Graceful  fronds  spring  from 
niches,  water  plashes  down  into  rocky  pools.  Eye  and 
ear  are  alike  pleasantly  and  slumberously  beguiled. 

Most  people  love  Ferns  as  much  for  the  readiness 
with  which  they  lend  themselves  to  tasteful  association 
with  flowering  plants  as  for  their  own  intrinsic  beauty. 
133 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

March  Perhaps  the  Fern  speciaHst  will  not  fall  into  line  here  ; 
1-15  he  may  consider  that  his  favourites  are  being  treated 
as  "  supers  "  where  they  should  be  "  principals,"  and 
object  to  any  suggestion  that  the  primary  use  of  Ferns 
is  to  serve  as  a  foil  for  flowers.  Need  he  be  thus  sensi- 
tive ?  I  think  not.  Ferns  are  beautiful,  and  well  worth 
growing  for  themselves,  but  provided  they  are  not  kept 
long  in  draughty  or  ill-ventilated  places  they  will  not 
suffer  from  association  with  flowers. 

Fern  interest  bounds  into  active  life  in  spring,  because 
then  new  growth  is  beginning.  The  old  fronds  may  be 
a  little  rusty  or  tarnished,  but  there  are  small,  brownish- 
green  balls  at  the  base,  slowly  unfolding  under  the  in- 
fluence of  warmth,  and  reminding  us  that  the  fresh 
green  fronds  will  soon  furnish  the  plant,  and  give  it  new 
life.  It  is  whengrowth  is  starting  that  Ferns  can  be 
best  divided,  and  division  is  a  ready  means  of  propaga- 
tion which  amateurs  need  not  hesitate  to  avail  themselves 
of.  The  Adiantums  (Maidenhair  included)  are  easily 
increased  in  this  way.  They  should  be  turned  out  of 
their  pots  and  a  knife  passed  right  through  the  ball  from 
top  to  bottom,  dividing  it  into  two  or  more  portions, 
which  may  then  be  potted  afresh.  Equal  parts  of  peat 
and  fibrous  loam,  with  a  liberal  admixture  of  coarse 
sand,  suit  Ferns  well.  The  compost  should  be  pressed 
firmly  round  the  balls. 

That  popular  room  Fern,  Asplenium  Bulbiferum, 
forms  tiny  plantlets  on  its  fronds.  The  juveniles  form 
near  the  tips,  and  consist  of  a  little  dark  ball  from  which 
a  tuft  of  small  fronds  spring.  It  is  interesting  to  note 
the  tiny  new  fronds  beginning  to  uncoil  at  the  base. 
They  may  be  seen  at  mid-winter.  The  plantlets  will 
grow  if  set  in  soil  like  seedlings. 

If  it  is  desired  to  merely  repot  Ferns,  without 
134 


H    Q 


THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

propagating  them,  the  lower  half  of  the  ball  of  soil  and    March 
roots  may  be  cut  away,  the  loose  soil  crumbled  from  the      ^'^5 
shoulders,  and  the  reduced  ball  packed  firmly  in  fresh 
soil  in  the  same  size  pot.     This  plan  saves  the  necessity 
of  procuring  larger  pots. 

It  is  wise  to  shade  and  syringe  Ferns  after  repotting 
them,  so  as  to  give  them  every  chance  of  becoming 
re-established  quickly.  They  must,  of  course,  be  per- 
manently shaded  when  the  hot  weather  comes  on. 

Fruit 

The  work  indicated  for  the  latter  half  of  February 
may  be  continued  in  March.  Pruning  and  planting 
should  be  completed,  as  before  the  month  is  out  many 
trees  will  be  starting  growth. 

Pruning  Nuts. — If  Filbert  and  Cob  Nut  trees  are  now 
examined  it  will  be  found,  probably,  that  small  reddish 
flowers  are  open  on  side  shoots  springing  from  the  main 
branches.  These  are  the  fruiters,  or  female  flowers. 
The  male  element  is  supplied  by  the  long  yellow  "  cat- 
kins," from  which  the  pollen  is  blown  when  it  is  dry. 
The  pruning  of  Nuts  should  be  deferred  until  the  red- 
dish flowers  are  open,  and  dry  pollen  is  present,  simul- 
taneously. After  fertilisation,  any  long  shoots  which  are 
bearing  female  flowers  may  be  shortened  to  the  incipient 
fruit,  but  short,  bearing  shoots  may  be  left  unpruned. 
Shoots  that  bear  catkins  alone  may  be  cut  right  back 
after  fertilisation. 

Early  Vines.  —  Vines  in  houses  that  were  started 
recently  will  be  pushing  freely  now,  and  any  superfluous 
shoots  should  be  removed  before  they  have  extended 
more  than  a  couple  of  inches,  at  which  stage  there  will 
be  no  difficulty  in  choosing  which  to  remove  and  which 

J^5 


THE    GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 

March  to  retain.  As  a  rule,  one  lateral  for  every  foot  of  main 
I~I5  rod  will  sufBce,  and  they  should  be  alternate  on  opposite 
sides.  The  laterals  form  from  buds  on  spurs  close  to  the 
main  rod,  and  it  is  when  more  shoots  break  than  are 
required  to  provide  the  specified  allowance  that  thinning 
out,  or  "disbudding"  as  it  is  termed,  is  called  for. 
Shoots  from  the  bottom  of  the  rod  are  technically 
faulty,  even  if  they  are  strong,  because  they  are  badly 
placed,  and  will  be  troublesome  to  tie  down  later  on. 

These    should    al- 
ways be  dispensed 
with     if    possible. 
Careful     attention 
should  be  devoted 
to   the    ventilation 
of    early    vineries. 
The  houses  are  not 
half  full  of  foliage 
yet,    and     a     cold 
wind      cutting 
through    them 
would    cause  con- 
siderable      injury, 
especially  after  the  temperature  has  been  run  up  by  an 
outburst  of  hot  sunshine.     Do  not  open  ventilators  on 
the  windward  side  in  rough  weather,  and  those  on  the 
other   side   need   not    remain    open    long.     The   house 
should  be  closed  when  the  sun  leaves  it,  but  in  any  case 
by  2  P.M.     Stop  fruiting  shoots  (see  Fig.  33). 

Peaches  and  Nectarines, — Houses  in  which  the  trees 
are  in  bloom  should  be  ventilated  if  possible,  and  kept 
somewhat  dry,  as  this  favours  the  maturation  and  dis- 
persion of  the  pollen.  The  latter  process  will  be  facili- 
tated by  shaking  the  wires  to  which  the  shoots  are  tied. 
136 


Fig.  33.— Stopping  Vines, 

The  fruit-bearing  shoot   stopped  three   leaves 

beyond  the  bunch,  h. 
Lateral  growth  stopped  at  the  first  leaf. 


The  well-know 


OWN    FORCING    STRAWBERRY   AUGUSTE   NiCAISE. 


THE   DAWN   OF  SPRING 


A  temperature  of  50°  to  55°  will  be  suitable  at  this  stage.    March 
Screens  of  tiffany  or  scrim   (these   are   line   forms   of      ^~^5 
canvas  sold  by  large  seedsmen)  or  fish  netting  should 
be  prepared  for  placing  in 
front    of    outdoor    Peaches 
which  are  showing  flower  or 
are  in  bloom.    Early  flower- 
ing is  not  desirable  out  of 
doors,  and  the   canvas  can 
be  used  during  sunshine  to 
keep  the  buds  back ;   also, 
when   the   flowers   actually 
open,  to  protect  them  from   . ' 
frost  at  night.     Disbud  later 
trees  (see  Fig.  34). 

Apricots  may  be  protected 
in  the  same  way  as  Peaches 
and  Nectarines. 

Strawberries.  —  Forcing 
under  glass,  and  planting 
in  the  open,  may  continue 
as  in  the  latter  half  of 
February.  The  hints  given 
there  apply.    In  thinning  the 

berries,  first  remove  any  under-sized  or  badly-shaped 
ones.  Liquid  manure  will  be  helpful  to  the  plants 
which  are  swelling  up  their  crop.  The  various  pro- 
prietary fertilisers  sold  by  the  seedsmen  are  good,  and 
so  is  superphosphate,  used  at  the  rate  of  an  ounce  per 
gallon  of  water. 

Vegetables 

In  light  soils,  and  on  warm  sites,  the  sowing  of  various 
kinds  of  vegetables  may  proceed,  notably  Peas,  Broad 
137 


Fig.  34.— Disbudding  Peaches, 

Fig.  I  shows  at  a  the  young  buds  to 
retain,  and  at  b  those  to  remove ; 
c,  flower  buds. 

Fig.  2,  the  branch  duly  disbudded. 

Fig.  3,  a  fully  developed  flower. 

Fig.  4,  a  shoot  bud  growing  freely. 


THE    GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

March    Beans,  Turnips,  Spinach,  early  Carrots,  Onions,  Parsley, 

^"^5      Brussels  Sprouts,  Lettuces,  and  Radishes.    Potatoes  may 

be  planted.      On  heavy  soils  and  cold  sites  it  may  be 

wise  to  hold  all  these  crops  over.     The  state  of  the  soil 

is  the  principal  factor. 

Early  Cabbages. — Cabbages  from  sowings  made  last 
summer  ought  to  be  growing  freely  now,  and  they  can  be 
expedited  by  running  a  hoe  between  the  rows  at  frequent 
intervals,  and  by  sprinkling  the  lightest  possible  dressing 
of  nitrate  of  soda  or  sulphate  of  ammonia  between  the 
plants.  These  salts  burn,  and  must  be  kept  off  the  leaves. 
Soot  is  a  safe  and  good  fertiliser  for  Cabbages,  and  may 
be  used  instead  of  the  salts,  but  its  action  will  not  be  so 
quick.  If  summer  Cabbages  are  wanted,  a  sowing  of 
seed  may  be  made  out  of  doors  now.  Improved  Non- 
pareil is  a  suitable  variety,  and  all  seedsmen  sell  it. 

Solving  Peas. — A  wide  drill  about  three  inches  deep 
should  be  made  when  Peas  are  being  sown,  and  sowing 
should  not  be  done  at  a  greater  rate  than  one  pint  of 
seed  to  twenty  yards  of  drill.  The  seed  should  be 
scattered  well  over  the  drill,  so  that  the  plants  may  not 
come  up  crowded  ;  if  they  do  they  should  be  thinned 
until  they  stand  quite  clear  of  each  other.  In  view  of 
probable  trouble  from  vermin,  it  is  prudent  to  moisten 
the  seed  in  paraffin  oil  before  sowing  it.  Gradus, 
William  the  First,  Ideal,  and  Chelsea  Gem  are  all  good 
early  Peas.  The  first  three  grow  from  three  to  four  feet 
high,  the  last  grows  about  fifteen  inches.  Where  more 
rows  than  one  are  sown,  it  is  the  rule  to  have  them  as  far 
apart  as  the  plants  grow  high,  and  to  sow  Spinach  and 
Turnips  in  narrow  drills  between  if  the  rows  of  Peas 
are  more  than  three  feet  apart. 

Early  Turnips. — The  Early  Milan  in  those  districts 
where  it  succeeds,  and  the  Snowball  where  the  Milan 
138 


THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

does  not  thrive,  may  be  sown  for  the  first  crop  of 
Turnips.  Both  the  varieties  named  have  agreeable 
flavour.  The  seed  should  be  sprinkled  in  very  thinly, 
and  covered  about  an  inch.  After  the  drill  has  been 
filled  in,  the  soil  may  be  trodden  quite  firmly,  as  though 
the  crop  was  one  of  Onions,  unless  it  is  so  damp  as  to 
bind  closely. 

Sowing  Onions. — One  or  two  rows  of  a  useful,  keeping 
kitchen  Onion,  such  as  Ai,  James'  Keeping,  or  White 
Spanish,  may  be  sown  out  of  doors  if  the  soil  is  in  a 
favourable  state.  It  will  have  been  prepared  previously 
by  digging  and  manuring.  The  drills  should  be  an  inch 
deep  and  a  foot  apart.  After  the  seed  has  been  sown 
(thinly  of  course),  the  ground  may  be  trodden  hard,  and 
then  be  scratched  over  very  lightly  with  a  rake ;  deep 
raking  would  neutralise  the  effects  of  the  treading. 
Seedling  Onions  in  boxes,  raised  as  advised  in  a 
previous  chapter,  must  have  attention.  Dryness  of  the 
soil,  and  crowding,  should  both  be  carefully  guarded 
against ;  the  latter  is  better  avoided  by  thin  sowing  than 
by  thinning  the  plants,  but  some  must  be  thrown  out 
if  there  are  too  many.  The  plants  should  be  shifted 
from  the  seed  boxes  to  cutting  boxes  about  four  inches 
deep  when  they  are  three  inches  high,  and  set  out  three 
inches  apart.  If  raised  in  heat  they  ought  to  be  hardened 
in  a  frame  before  being  planted  out  in  April. 

Young  Tomatoes. — Seedling  Tomatoes  raised  by  sow- 
ing a  few  weeks  ago  must  be  attended  to.  They  ought 
to  have  a  position  close  to  the  glass,  and  receive  abund- 
ance of  air  in  favourable  weather,  so  that  they  may  keep 
strong  and  sturdy.  Thin  them  if  crowded,  and  when 
they  have  made  a  pair  of  ordinary  cut  leaves  in  addition 
to  the  seed  leaves,  they  may  be  set  out  five  inches  apart 
in  boxes  about  six  inches  deep.  More  seed  may  be 
139 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

sown  in  pots,  pans,  or  boxes,  and  put  in  a  greenhouse  or 
frame,  preferably  the  former. 

Early  Salads. — Lettuces  and  Radishes  ought  to  be 
sown  as  early  in  March  as  the  weather  will  permit,  for 
the  sake  of  providing  Salads  in  late  spring.  Radish 
seeds  can  be  sown  broadcast  in  any  sheltered  reserve 
plot.  It  is  prudent  to  prepare  the  soil  by  reducing  it  to 
a  fine  tilth,  and  cover  the  seed  about  an  inch  deep.  It 
will  be  necessary  to  cover  the  bed  with  fish  netting,  or  to 
otherwise  protect  it  from  birds,  otherwise  the  crop  will  be 
a  failure.  Red  Turnip  is  a  good  variety  for  this  sowing, 
and  it  may  be  followed  by  one  of  French  Breakfast. 
As  regards  Lettuces,  it  will  be  well  to  sow  in  drills  a  foot 
apart,  and  cover  with  half  an  inch  of  soil.  This  crop 
should  be  protected  also.  The  seedlings  can  be  trans- 
planted before  they  become  crowded.  By  running  a  hoe 
between  them  once  a  week,  they  can  be  kept  growing 
rapidly,  and  weeds  subjugated.  Superb  White  Cos  is  a 
good  variety  to  choose  for  this  sowing. 

Broad  and  French  Beans. — The  principal  sowing  of 
Broad  Beans  may  now  be  made  out  of  doors,  given  a 
suitable  condition  of  the  soil.  The  seeds  may  be  set 
eight  inches  apart  in  rows  thirty  inches  asunder  in  rich 
soil,  and  six  inches  by  twenty-four  in  poor  land.  They 
may  be  covered  three  inches  deep.  The  ground  should 
be  well  manured.  Exhibition  Longpod  is  a  good  variety 
to  choose.  Another  sowing  of  a  selected  variety  of 
French  Beans,  such  as  Ne  Plus  Ultra,  may  be  made  in 
large  pots  or  deep  boxes,  and  put  in  a  house  with  a 
temperature  of  60°  to  70°.  Plenty  of  water  should  be 
given,  and  liquid  manure  may  be  supplied  twice  a  week 
when  the  pods  form.  The  latter  should  be  gathered 
early,  in  order  to  avoid  their  becoming  old  and  checking 
the  plant. 

140 


THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

Early  Carrots. — Carrots  are  favoured  by  light,  friable  March 
soil,  and  in  such  a  medium  seed  may  be  sown  out  of  ^~^5 
doors  early  in  March  ;  but  in  heavy  soil,  especially  if  in 
exposed  places,  the  conditions  are  hardly  likely  to  be 
favourable  at  present.  The  ground  does  not  need  manure, 
but  it  requires  just  as  much  mechanical  treatment  as  may 
be  necessary  to  reduce  it  to  a  thoroughly  friable  con- 
dition. This  object  should  be  achieved,  if  possible, 
without  the  addition  of  disintegrating  substances  like 
cinders.  The  finer  the  particles  of  soil,  the  more  likely 
the  Carrots  are  to  be  clean  and  well-shaped.  Wood- 
ashes  may  be  sprinkled  in  the  drills  when  sowing,  and  it 
is  not  a  bad  plan  to  mix  them  with  crushed  oyster-shells^ 
which  can  be  bought  from  many  manure  dealers  at  a 
low  rate.  The  drills  may  be  drawn  fifteen  inches  apart, 
and  the  seed  covered  with  an  inch  of  soil.  Early  Gem, 
Guerande,  Model,  Summer  Favourite,  Stump-rooted,  and 
Scarlet  Perfection  are  all  good  varieties,  and  it  does  not 
matter  which  of  them  is  chosen. 

Planting  Potatoes. — If  sets  of  early  Potatoes  have  been 
treated  as  advised  in  a  previous  chapter — that  is,  sprouted 
in  shallow  boxes,  they  ought  to  have  shoots  on  them  now 
an  inch  long,  thick,  green  or  purple,  and  firmly  attached 
to  the  tuber.  Such  prepared  sets  may  be  planted  a  foot 
apart  in  rows  two  feet  asunder,  and  covered  with  six 
inches  of  well-pulverised  soil.  Planting  so  early  is  quite 
practicable  in  light,  friable,  fairly  dry  soil,  in  a  sheltered 
place;  but  there  need  be  no  hurry  to  plant  in  heavy, 
damp  soil,  or  in  cold  situations.  Well-sprouted  sets  will 
not  deteriorate  in  their  boxes  as  long  as  they  are  kept  in 
a  light  place,  and  safe  from  frost ;  indeed,  they  will  be  as 
good  in  April  as  they  are  now.  Sharpe's  Express,  Ring- 
leader, Ashleaf,  Duke  of  York,  May  Queen,  Ninetyfold, 
and  Midlothian  Early  are  varieties  from  which  a  choice 
HI 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

may  be  made.  All  are  good.  Two  ounces  of  super- 
phosphate of  lime  and  one  ounce  of  sulphate  of  potash 
may  be  used  per  yard  of  drill  when  the  sets  are  planted. 
Hot  Beds. — Early  March  is  a  good  time  to  make  up  a 
hot  bed,  and  those  who  do  not  possess  a  heated  green- 
house will  find  such  a  convenience  of  great  advantage 
in  bringing  on  Tomatoes,  Celery,  Cucumbers,  Melons, 
Vegetable  Marrows,  and  various  half-hardy  and  tender- 
flowering  plants  from  seed.  A  considerable  part  of  the 
bed  should  consist  of  fresh  stable  manure,  without  which 
it  would  not  be  possible  to  get  the  necessary  heat,  but 
some  leaves  may  be  added,  preferably  Oak  or  Beech. 
The  manure  ought  be  shaken  out  and  turned  two  or  three 
times  before  it  is  made  up  into  a  bed,  and  then  trodden 
down  firmly  to  a  depth  of  three  feet,  and  covered  (save 
for  about  a  foot  all  round)  with  a  glass  frame.  Pots  or 
boxes  may  be  stood  on  the  manure  when  the  bed  feels 
comfortably  warm  to  the  hand,  and  the  air  in  the  frame 
smells  quite  sweet.  Cucumbers,  Melons,  and  Vegetable 
Marrows  may  all  be  sown  singly  in  small  pots. 

MARCH-Third  and  Fourth  Weeks 

The  second  half  of  March  will  not  be  less  busy  than 
the  first,  and  may  be  far  more  so  if  the  weather  in  the 
first  half  is  unfavourable  for  gardening,  as  is  often  the 
case.  The  latter  part  of  March  frequently  gives  that 
mixture  of  warm,  sunny  days  and  dewy  nights  which  is 
so  good  for  gardening.  The  soil  dries  and  mellows,  the 
air  grows  sensibly  sweeter  and  more  genial.  The  fact 
that  such  conditions  are  sometimes  followed  by  bad 
weather  in  April  should  not  deter  the  amateur  from 
sowing  in  March  if  he  gets  a  good  chance,  rather  should 
the  fear  of  it  act  as  a  stimulus  to  him,  and  induce  him  to 
142 


THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

push  on  soil   preparation  and  sowing  as  rapidly  as  is    March 
consistent  with  good  workmanship.  IO-31 

Herbaceous  plants  may  be  propagated  and  planted. 
Hardy  annuals  may  be  sown.  The  planting  of  Roses 
may  be  completed.  All  fruit  planting  should  be  finished 
before  March  is  out.  Most  kinds  of  vegetables  may  be 
sown. 

Flowers 

It  is  unnecessary  to  repeat  what  was  said  in  the  first 
section  of  March  about  preparing  and  planting  herba- 
ceous borders.  This  task  is  one  which  will  afford 
pleasurable  occupation  in  favourable  weather  at  any 
time  in  March. 

Chrysanthemums  for  Borders. — Florists'  Chrysanthe- 
mums form  such  a  beautiful  class  that  it  is  small  wonder 
that  the  flower  gardener  casts  covetous  eyes  upon  it, 
and  wants  to  know  if  he  cannot  make  some  use  of  it  in 
his  borders.  As  a  late  summer  and  autumn  flower  the 
Chrysanthemum  has  only  two  formidable  rivals,  the 
Dahlia  and  the  Michaelmas  Daisy.  The  former  is  not 
an  ideal  border  plant ;  moreover,  it  is  tender.  The  latter 
is  of  the  highest  merit.  But  fine  as  they  are,  there  is 
no  reason  why  Michaelmas  Daisies  should  monopolise 
the  garden  in  autumn.  They  have  their  places  in  the 
border,  and  fill  them  worthily;  but  Chrysanthemums  can 
be  added  without  displacing  any  other  plant  by  adopting 
the  simple  plan  of  growing  them  in  a  reserve  bed,  and 
when  early  plants  in  the  borders  fade,  cutting  them  to 
the  ground,  and  transferring  the  Chrysanthemums  from 
their  temporary  quarters  to  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
decapitated  plants,  whose  good  work  they  will  carry  on 
most  admirably.  In  view  of  the  potential  usefulness  of 
Chrysanthemums  in  this  respect,  it  is  satisfactory  to  find 
143 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

March  that  they  will  bear  transplanting  quite  well,  even  when 
1^31  they  are  in  an  advanced  stage,  and  approaching  the 
flowering  period. 

If  the  Chrysanthemum  is  sometimes  overlooked  as  a 
flower-garden  plant,  it  is  perhaps  more  because  amateurs 
have  got  into  a  way  of  associating  it  with  conservatory 
decoration  and  with  exhibitions,  than  because  there  is 
any  doubt  of  its  beauty.  Perhaps  this  reminder  that  it  is 
really  hardy,  really  beautiful,  really  amenable  to  trans- 
plantation at  a  comparatively  late  stage,  will  serve  to 
convince  many  an  amateur  of  the  magnitude  of  a  mis- 
apprehension which  leads  to  the  exclusion  of  so  glorious 
a  plant  as  the  Chrysanthemum  from  modern  flower 
gardens. 

In  speaking  of  the  Chrysanthemum  as  hardy,  I  do  not 
overlook  its  not  uncommon  habit  of  dying  out  annually 
on  heavy,  damp,  clay  soils.  I  have  had  experience  of 
that  myself.  But  I  am  by  no  means  sure  that  it  is  an 
unmixed  evil.  The  clumps  of  Chrysanthemums  which 
one  sees  in  cottage  borders  make  a  brave  display  in 
autumn,  and  the  brilliance  of  their  colours  often  cheats 
us  into  overlooking  their  scraggy  habit  and  puny  flowers. 
These  plants  are  not  really  cultivated.  They  look  after 
themselves.  The  result  is  not  bad,  but  it  is  open  to  im- 
provement. Personally,  when  I  found  myself  stirred 
into  the  annual  renewal  of  border  Chrysanthemums  by 
cuttings,  owing  to  the  losses  through  winter  damp  in 
heavy  land,  I  did  very  much  better  with  both  plant  and 
bloom  than  I  had  done  on  the  leave-alone  system. 

A  simple  way  of  getting  a  stock  of  healthy  young 
plants  is  to  cut  back  a  few  plants  in  autumn,  put  them  in 
pots,  and  keep  them  in  a  cool  house,  or  on  a  bed  of 
ashes  in  a  frame,  through  the  winter.  When  they  start 
growing  in  spring  the  young  shoots  can  be  taken  off  at 
144 


THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

about  three  inches  long,  inserted  in  sandy  soil,  and  kept    March 
close  until  they  begin  to  grow,  then  given  abundance  of     ^^0-31 
air.     By  making  a  correct  choice  of  varieties,  bloom  can 
be  got  in  succession  for  nearly  three  months. 

Rockery  Plants. — The  rock  garden  is  full  of  interest 
in  spring,  and  now  is  the  time  to  go  over  it  carefully, 
restricting  here,  propagating  there,  making  additions 
both  of  stones  and  plants.  One  of  my  own  rockeries 
is  neither  more  nor  less  than  a  nearly  perpendicular 
loose  stone  wall,  which  was  put  up  to  sustain  the  soil 
of  a  "cutting."  I  recall  the  debates  as  to  the  best  plan 
of  dealing  with  the  cutting  when  it  was  first  made. 
Should  it  be  "  battered  "  at  an  obtuse  angle,  and  turfed  ? 
Should  it  be  covered  with  shrubs  ?  Or  should  it  be 
faced  with  rock?  An  intelligent  builder  turned  the 
scale  ;  and  here  let  me  say,  out  of  gratitude,  that  builders 
are  not  at  all  such  terrible  Vandals  as  they  are  supposed 
to  be,  nor  do  they  hate  gardens  with  the  virulence  which 
is  accredited  to  them.  They  really  have  souls,  and  are 
by  no  means  devoid  of  a  sense  of  beauty.  A  great  deal 
of  the  harm  that  they  do  they  cannot  help.  It  is  a 
necessity  of  their  work  that  ground  should  be  cut  up, 
and  stacks  of  bricks  built,  and  the  place  sown  with 
mortar  morasses.  I  am  convinced  that  they  often  feel 
really  sad  when,  in  the  addition  of  a  new  wing  to  the 
house,  they  spoil  a  pretty  garden  corner. 

I  mention  my  rock  wall  because  it  may  convey  a 
useful  suggestion  to  others.  It  has  done  many  degrees 
better  than  I  ever  expected  that  it  would.  To  begin 
with,  the  soil  of  the  bank  was  very  poor,  near  chalk. 
Then,  the  angle  being  acute,  very  little  rain  could  beat 
in.  According  to  all  the  canons  of  rock-plant  culture, 
a  failure  was  to  be  expected.  Nothing  of  the  kind  has 
happened.  Nearly  all  of  the  sixty  or  seventy  kinds  put 
145  K 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY    WEEK 

March  in  have  established  themselves,  and  some  have  spread 
16-31  a  good  deal.  The  stone  used  is  a  fairly  hard  Kentish 
"rag."  This  is  not  an  ideal  stone,  but  the  quality  of 
the  metal  varies  in  different  quarries,  and  I  appear  to 
have  struck  a  good  vein.  One  thing  in  favour  of  rag 
is  that  plants  like  it.  It  is  a  limestone,  and  they  appear 
to  enjoy  getting  their  roots  down  to  the  base  of  the 
pieces.  Of  course,  there  is  a  good  thickness  of  soil  at 
the  back  of  the  plants,  and  although  the  crevices 
between  the  stones  are  small,  the  plants  have  a  deep 
rooting  area,  such  as  it  is. 

The  liking  which  many  plants  have  for  lime  induces 
me  to  wonder  how  far  we  may  expect  chalk  or  limestone 
to  compensate  for  what  we  call  "  poor  "  soil.  I  call  my 
thin  soil  over  soft  chalk  poor,  because  it  lacks  humus, 
and  fruit  and  most  vegetables  grow  with  very  little 
vigour  in  it.  But  soil  that  is  poor  for  fruit  and  vege- 
tables is  apparently  by  no  means  poor  from  the  stand- 
point of  low-growing  plants.  They  do  not  require  so 
much  humus,  nor  so  much  moisture,  as  plants  with 
much  expanse  of  leafage.  I  make  these  remarks  in  full 
cognisance  of  the  orthodox  advice  (which  I  have  re- 
peated myself  before  now)  that  rock  plants  should  have 
a  liberal  allowance  of  fibrous  loam.  They  certainly 
need  it  in  a  rockery,  where  the  soil  has  to  be  made  up, 
but  apparently  not  so  much  in  a  bank,  where  there  is 
considerable  "  back  run  "  for  their  roots. 

The  lover  of  rock  plants  who  looks  them  over  in 
spring  with  a  view  to  propagation  sees  that  they  differ 
a  good  deal  in  their  habit  of  growth.  Some  of  the 
clumps  consist  of  a  series  of  shoots  springing  separately 
from  the  soil,  almost  like  a  Michaelmas  Daisy.  It  is 
obvious  that  these  may  be  increased  by  division.  Parts 
of  the  clump  may  be  cut  away,  and  pressed  into  the 
T46 


THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

crevices  which  are  bare.  In  rock  walls  "planting"  in  March 
the  ordinary  sense  is  impossible,  and  one  could  hardly  I0-3I 
expect  a  plant  that  had  so  insecure  a  hold  to  thrive. 
But  with  a  good  squeeze  in,  and  a  handful  of  moist 
earth  pressed  after  them,  they  manage  to  retain  their 
place,  and  soon  anchor  themselves  securely  with  their 
own  roots.  One  odd  bit  so  thrust  in  developed  in  such 
an  astonishing  way  on  my  wall,  that  it  attracted  the 
attention  of  a  pair  of  wagtails,  who  regarded  it  as 
splendid  cover.  Any  way,  they  found  a  comfortable 
ledge  under  its  long  streamers,  built  a  nest,  and  reared 
a  brood.  Some  rock  plants  are  not  easily  propagated 
by  division,  because  the  growth  (and  it  may  form  a 
considerable  mass)  is  found  to  depend  from  one  long 
tough  stem.  Cuttings  or  seeds  must  be  resorted  to  in 
these  cases. 

The  following  are  good  plants  for  rockeries  ; 

Spring  Bloomers 

Alyssum  Saxatile  Compactum  Gentians 

American  Cowslips  Iberis  (Perennial  Candytuft) 

Anemones,  dwarf  kinds  Irises,  dwarf  kinds 

Antennaria  Narcissus,  small  kinds 

Arabis,  single  and  double  ,  Omphalodes  Verna 

Aubrietia,  various  colours  Phloxes,  dwarf  kinds 

Cerastium  Primulas 

Dianthus  (Alpine  Pinks)  Saxifrages,  many  kinds 

Dog's-Tooth  Violets  Soldanella  Alpina 

Edelweiss 

Summer  Bloomers 

Acaena  Dianthus,  several  species 

Achilleas  Geraniums,  hardy 

Androsaces,  several  species  Helianthemums  (Sun  Roses) 

Arenaria  Balearica  Lithospermum  Prostratum 

Aster,  dwarf  Alpine  Onosma  Tauricum 

Campanulas,  dwarf  kinds  Poppies,  Iceland 

Convolvulus  Mauritanicus  Primulas,  various  kinds 


March 
16-31 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY    WEEK 

Swnmer  Bloomers. 

Saxifraga  Hypnoides  Sempervivums  (Houseleeks) 

„         Longifolia  Silenes 

Sedums  (Stonecrops)  Veronicas 

Various  bulbs,  such  as  Colchicums,  Crocuses,  Cycla- 
mens, Irises,  and  Snowdrops,  will  give  bloom  in  autumn 
and  winter. 

Some  Carpeting  Plants 

The  above  lists  give  an  indication  of  the  genera 
available  at  different  seasons,  I  may  now  specify  a  few 
plants  that  are  particularly  valuable  for  forming  large 
masses,  drooping  over  the  stones  in  a  broad  sheet  of 
blossom.  Such  plants  will  be  useful  alike  on  orthodox 
rockeries  and  on  steep  rock  banks  such  as  my  own. 

Alyssum  Saxatile  Compactum. — A  free-blooming,  yellow-flowered 

plant,  easily  raised  from  seed  in  early  summer  for  flowering  in 

late  spring  of  the  following  year. 
Arabises  or  White  Rock  Cresses. — The  old  singles  are  the  best  for 

the  particular  purpose  in  view,  but  the  double  is  a  better  plant 

for  borders. 
Aubrietias. — The  varieties  Leichtlini,  Fire  King,  and  Dr.  Mules 

are  all  good.     The  commoner  Aubrietias  and  Arabises  are  as 

easily  raised  from  seed  as  the  Alyssum. 
Campanula   Muralis. — A    pretty   violet   species,   flowering    in   the 

summer. 
Cerastium  (Snow   in    Summer). — There  are  two   species,  Bieber- 

steinii  and  Tomentosum,  both  of  which  spread  an  abundant 

mat  of  silvery  foliage  over  the  stones,  and  bear  white  flowers. 

They  can  be  raised  from  seed. 
Convolvulus  Mauritanicus. — A  blue  and  white  species,  which  twines 

about  the  stones  and  produces  beautiful  flowers. 
Coronilla  Varia. — A  rosy  trailer,  which  flowers  in  summer 
Dianthus  Deltoides  (Maiden  Pink). — A  charming  rosy  Pink  which 

blooms  in  summer.     There  is  a  white  variety  of  it. 
Epigaea  Repens  (May  Flower). — A  dense,  close  evergreen,  with 

sweet,  white  flowers  in  sprine  :  somewhat  scarce. 
148 


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THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

Gypsophila  Repens. — A  white   summer  bloomer;  the  well-known    March 
G.  Paniculata,  the  flowers  of  which  are  used  a  good  deal  in      16-31 
floral  decorations,  is  a  totally  different  plant.     There  is  a  rose- 
coloured  variety  of  Repens. 

Helianthemums  or  Sun  Roses. — These  ramble  freely,  are  ever- 
green, and  flower  more  or  less  all  through  the  summer,  com- 
mencing in  late  spring.  The  flowers  are  produced  abundantly, 
are  large,  and  are  of  many  beautiful  colours.  A  great  point 
in  favour  of  the  Sun  Roses  is  that  they  will  thrive  in  hot,  dry 
positions.  Those  who  are  particularly  interested  in  this  useful 
class  might  get  a  few  of  the  best  named  varieties,  such  as 
Golden  Queen,  Magenta  Queen,  Pink  Beauty,  Snowflake,  and 
Mrs.  C.  W.  Earle.  The  names  are  a  guide  to  the  colours 
except  in  the  case  of  the  last,  which  is  crimson.  These 
varieties  are  not  dear. 

Iberises  or  Perennial  Candytufts. — Some  of  these  are  evergreens, 
and  flower  profusely  in  late  spring  and  early  summer,  forming 
dense  white  cushions,  which  may  be  several  feet  across.  They 
enjoy  sunshine,  but  do  not  object  to  shade  for  a  part  of  the  day. 
Sempervirens  is  the  most  popular  species,  and  there  are  several 
special  varieties  of  it,  such  as  the  double  (Flore  Pleno),  Gar- 
rexiana  (with  very  large  flowers),  and  Little  Gem,  dwarf. 

Leontopodium  Alpinum  (the  Edelweiss). — A  white  Alpine  of  very  dis- 
tinct appearance,  which  spreads  into  broad  cushions  and  flowers 
freely.     There  is  a  large  variety  of  it  called  Himalayanum. 

Linarias  or  Toad  Flaxes. — There  are  several  charming  kinds  of 
this  pretty  genus,  notably  Alpina,  violet  with  yellow  centre  ; 
Cymbalaria,  the  Kenilworth  Ivy,  lilac  and  orange  ;  and  the 
white  variety  of  the  latter  species.  They  trail  and  flower  freely 
in  summer. 

Lithospermum  Prostratum  is  one  of  the  best  of  trailers  for  rock- 
work.  It  is  evergreen,  it  grows  freely,  it  bears  its  flowers  abun- 
dantly for  several  months,  and  the  colour  is  a  rich  deep  blue. 

Mossy  Saxifrages,  notably  Saxifraga  Hypnoides  and  its  varieties, 
such  as  Purpurea,  with  dark  red  flowers ;  and  Rosea,  with 
rosy  blossoms,  are  dainty  plants,  forming  a  close  carpet  of 
foliage  dotted  with  pretty  flowers. 

Mountain  Thymes  (Thymus  Serpyllum  and  its  varieties),  of  which 
Albus,  white,  and  Coccineus,  crimson,  are  desirable,  are  of 
prostrate  habit,  spread  freely,  and  enjoy  sunny  places,  even  if 
dry.  Dwarf,  early  flowering  bulbs  like  Scillas,  Narcissi,  and 
Irises  may  be  planted  among  the  Thyme. 
149 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

March 
16-31  Rock  Plants  for  Shade 

The  great  majority  of  rock  plants  love  sunshine.  It 
is  one  of  the  life-giving  elements  of  the  Alpines  in  their 
mountain  homes.  Rock  gardens  should  never  be  made 
in  shade,  but  where  a  natural  rockery  exists  it  may 
be  beautified  by  adding  a  few  carefully  chosen  plants. 
The  following  will  thrive  in  shade,  if  they  are  not  sub- 
jected to  the  constant  drip  of  water  ; 

Adonis  Vernalis. — Yellow,  a  dwarf  spring  bloomer. 

Anemone  Pulsatilla. — The  silky  purple   Pasque  Flower,  a  spring 

bloomer. 
Anemone  Sylvestris,  white. 

„         Nemorosa,  blue,  white  and  rose,  charming  little  spring 

bloomers. 
Auriculas,  Alpine. — In  many  varieties,  spring  bloomers. 
Corydalis  Nobilis. — Bears  yellow  flowers  most  of  the  summer  and 

autumn. 
Cyclamen  Coum.— An  exquisite  little  rose-coloured  species,  which 

may  be  planted  in  autumn,  and  will  bloom  freely  in  winter  and 

spring. 
Cypripediumsor  Lady's  Slippers. — Hardy  terrestrial  Orchids,  which 

love  a  moist,  shady  position  and  peaty  soil,     Calceolus,  brown 

and  yellow;     Macranthum,  rosy  purple  ;    Pubescens,  downy  ; 

and  Spectabile  (Moccasin  Flower),  with  lovely  pink  and  white 

flowers,  are  amongst  the  best  species. 
Dodecatheons  (American  Cowslips). — Pretty  bulbs,  which  may  be 

bought  and  planted  in  autumn. 
Ferns  of  many  kinds,  notably  the  Lady  Fern  in  variety.   The  Ostrich 

and  Royal  Ferns  are  magnificent  in  special  positions,  but  are 

much  too  large  for  small  rockeries. 
Funkias  (Plantain  Lilies). — Also  need  special  places,  as  they  are 

too  large  for  association  with  ordinary  rock  plants. 
Galax  Aphylla. — A  white  summer  bloomer. 
Gaultheria  Procumbens. — White  flowers  in  summer  and  red  berries 

in  autumn. 
Gentiana  Verna. — A  spring  bloomer  with  brilliant  blue  flowers. 
Hepaticas. — Blue,  rose  and  white,  single  and  double,  exquisite  little 

plants,  which  will  thrive  under  trees. 


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THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

Iberis  Sempervirens,  and  its  varieties.  March 

Iris  Cristata. — Blue,  spring  bloomer.  16-3I 

Mertensia  Virginica. — Blue,  spring  bloomer. 
Myosotis  (Forget-me-not). — Of  several    kinds,  such   as   Alpestris, 

Rupicola,  Dissitiflora,  and  Sylvatica. 
Omphalodes  Verna. — Blue,  a  spring  bloomer. 
Ourisia  Coccinea. — A  very  distinct  and  pleasing  little  plant,  with 

scarlet  flowers,  quite  dwarf,  and  blooming  in  late  spring. 
Parnassia   Palustris. — White  flowers  in  summer,  a  great  lover  of 

moisture. 
Polemonium  Reptans. — Blue,  spring  bloomer. 
Polygonum  Afifine. — Rose,  dwarf,  a  summer  bloomer.     Some  of  the 

Polygonums  are  very  large  plants,  and  could  not  be  used  in 

rockwork. 
Polyanthuses  and  Primroses. — Best  raised  from  reliable  strains  of 

mixed  seed  in  early  summer  for  blooming  the  following  year. 
Primula    Japonica. — Purplish   rose,  thrives    in   moist    spots    near 

water. 
Primula  Rosea. — Bright  rose,  thrives  in  moist  spots  near  water. 
Ramondia  Pyrenaica. — A  beautiful  Alpine,  with  lilac-blue  flowers  in 

summer.     There  is  a  white  variety,  which  is  dearer  than  the 

species. 
Ranunculus  Amplexicaulis. — White,  a  spring  bloomer. 
Saxifraga  Granulata  Flore  Pleno. — White,  spring,  a  free-blooming, 

very  useful  plant. 
Shortia  Galacifolia. — White,  spring,  a  dainty  little  plant. 
Sisyrinchium  Grandiflorum. — Purple  flowers  in  spring.     There  is  a 

white  variety.  Album. 
Soldanella  Alpina. — A  blue  spring  bloomer. 
Spigelia  Marylandica. — Crimson,  a  summer  bloomer. 
Tiarella  Cordifolia  (Foam  Flower). — White  flowers  in   spring,  a 

very  graceful  plant. 
Trillium  Grandiflorum  (Wood  Lily). — A  lovely  white-flowered  bulb 

that  may  be  planted  in  autumn  for  flowering  in  spring. 

References   to    other   beautiful    kinds  will    be  made 
from  time  to  time  in  the  various  chapters. 

Marguerite  Carnations. — These  are  a  minor  class  to 
the   Carnation    specialist,   as    China    Roses   are   to   the 
rosarian,  and  Cupids  to  the  Sweet  Pea  exhibitor.     But 
151 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

March  they  are  pretty,  and  it  is  a  point  in  their  favour  that 
^^31  they  can  be  grown  as  annuals — that  is,  flowered  in  the 
same  year  as  they  are  sown.  It  is,  however,  desirable 
to  sow  the  seed  in  a  warm  house,  or  in  a  heated  frame, 
in  order  to  get  the  plants  started  quickly.  They  can 
be  pricked  out  in  boxes,  like  other  seedlings  raised 
under  glass,  when  they  begin  to  get  crowded,  and 
hardened  in  an  unheated  frame. 

Bulds  after  Flowering. — Some  of  the  earlier  bulbs, 
such  as  Freesias  and  forced  Narcissi,  may  be  going  out 
of  flower,  and  this  should  not  be  taken  as  the  signal 
for  immediate  drying  off.  On  the  contrary,  the  plants 
should  be  watered  until  the  foliage  ripens  naturally. 
So  far  as  the  Narcissi  are  concerned  they  may  be 
planted  out  of  doors,  so  as  to  get  the  use  of  the  boxes 
or  pots  in  which  they  are  growing,  and  to  save  the 
necessity  of  regular  watering.  But  the  Freesias  may 
be  kept  in  their  pots  until  the  warm  weather  comes, 
then  shaken  free  from  the  soil  and  spread  on  a  shelf 
in  the  full  sun.  The  roasting  will  ripen  them  thoroughly, 
and  they  will  bloom  well  again  the  following  winter. 

Insects  in  Plant  Houses. — Increasing  hordes  of  insects 
now  show  themselves  on  various  plants.  The  ubiquitous 
green  fly,  which  has  powers  of  reproduction  that  surpass 
the  best  efforts  of  our  most  prolific  plants,  attacks 
Cinerarias,  Tulips,  Roses,  and  other  popular  plants. 
The  Aphis  also  establishes  itself  on  Carnations,  and 
injures  the  leaves.  Insects  are  apt  to  be  a  great  worry 
to  amateur  gardeners,  who  shrink  from  the  tedious 
work  of  cleansing  individual  plants.  Let  me  assure  them 
that  houses  can  be  kept  entirely  free  from  those  ex- 
asperating little  pests  by  a  very  simple  plan,  and  that 
is  to  make  a  rule  of  burning  a  vaporising  cone  in  the 
house  once  a  fortnight.  The  operation  takes  very  little 
152 


THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

time,  and  it  is  not  at  all  disagreeable  ;  moreover,  the  March 
cones  are  inexpensive.  All  seedsmen  and  florists  sell  16-31 
them.  The  sizes  vary,  to  suit  the  size  of  the  house ;  if 
the  seedsman  is  given  the  length,  height,  and  width  of 
the  house,  he  will  supply  the  proper  size  at  once.  If  the 
house  is  one  leaning  against  a  wall,  the  height  of  the 
front  eaves  and  also  the  height  of  the  back  where  it  is 
attached  to  the  wall  should  be  given.  If  the  structure 
is  a  span  roof,  the  height  to  the  eaves  and  also  to  the 
ridge  should  be  quoted.  These  figures  enable  the  mean 
height  to  be  calculated,  and  if  this  is  multiplied  by  the 
length,  and  the  result  of  that  sum  is  again  multiplied 
by  the  width,  the  total  will  represent  the  number  of 
cubic  feet  in  the  structure. 

The  reason  why  I  recommend  periodical  vaporisation 
with  the  cones,  is  that  insects  have  no  chance  of  spread- 
ing. They  are  always  kept  in  thorough  subjection. 
There  should  be  a  fixed  day  for  the  operation,  and  it 
should  be  entered  in  the  garden  diary — the  first  and 
third  Mondays  in  each  month,  or  some  similar  arrange- 
ment. The  course  indicated  prevents  injury  to  the 
plants,  and  saves  the  cultivator  worry  and  annoyance. 

Fruit 

Continue  the  work  previously  indicated  for  the  various 
kinds  of  indoor  fruit. 

Peaches  and  Nectarines  in  unheated  houses  will  pro- 
bably be  in  bloom  now,  and  the  wires  may  be  shaken  in 
order  to  scatter  the  pollen.  In  dull  weather  the  fertilising 
powder  does  not  spread  so  freely  as  is  desirable,  and  a 
camel-hair  brush  should  be  drawn  across  the  flowers,  in 
order  to  insure  the  distribution  of  the  pollen.  It  is  an 
excellent  plan  to  vaporise  the  house  with  one  of  the  cones 
153 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

March  referred  to  in  the  last  paragraph  under  "  Flowers "  as 
10-31  soon  as  the  blossoms  have  fallen,  because  it  keeps  down 
aphides,  which  are  very  destructive  to  Peaches.  Guard 
against  the  admission  of  cold  draughts,  which  would 
predispose  the  trees  to  an  attack  of  blister  (see  pre- 
vious remarks).  Disbud  the  shoots  after  the  fruit  has 
set  in  accordance  with  instructions  in  previous  chapters. 
Protect  outdoor  Peaches  from  frost. 

Note  the  hints  in  the  earlier  chapters  with  respect  to 
managing  Grape  Vines  and  forcing  Strawberries. 

Grafting 

The  process  of  grafting  is  an  interesting  and  useful 
one.  By  means  of  it  we  can  turn  an  unsatisfactory 
variety  into  a  satisfactory  one.  I  do  not  contend  that 
grafting  will  remove  every  difficulty  in  fruit  growing. 
It  will  not  remedy  the  ill  effects  of  bad  pruning,  for 
example  (see  full  remarks  on  pruning  in  a  previous 
chapter).  It  is  not  the  proper  treatment  for  trees  which 
are  barren  because  they  are  growing  too  strongly  at  the 
roots  ;  it  is  root-pruning  which  is  needed  here.  But  it 
will  often  turn  an  unhealthy  tree  into  a  healthy  one. 
Ill-health  in  a  fruit  tree  is  frequently  due  to  the  fact  that 
the  variety  is  too  delicate  for  the  soil.  Graft  with  a  more 
robust  variety,  and  the  tree  speedily  improves.  Where 
fruit  trees  are  cankered,  or  generally  weak,  first  study  the 
soil.  It  may  need  draining  or  manuring.  If  neither  is 
the  cause,  hesitate  no  longer,  but  put  a  new  variety  on  to 
the  tree  by  grafting. 

Apples,  Pears,  Plums,  and  Cherries  may  all  be  grafted, 

but  it  will  be  found,  probably,  that  the  two  last  kinds  do 

not  often  need  changing.     Apples,  as  the  most  largely 

grown  of  the  quartette,  and  the  most  likely  to  suffer  from 

154 


THE   DAWN    OF   SPRING 

canker,  may  be  chosen  as  an  example  of  the  procedure  March 
to  be  adopted ;  the  process  is  the  same  with  the  other  16-31 
kinds.  The  time  may  differ  somewhat  according  as  the 
tree  is  an  early  or  late  grower  ;  Cherries  generally  move 
before  Pears,  and  Pears  before  Apples  ;  and  it  is  when 
the  buds  on  the  lower  part  of  a  tree  begin  to  swell  that 
the  grafting  should  be  done.  This  generally  occurs  in 
the  latter  half  of  March  or  the  first  half  of  April.  Let 
me  take  the  various  points. 

Varieties  of  Apples  for  Grafting. — It  is  no  use  choos- 
ing a  weakly  variety  for  use  as  a  scion.  We  must  select 
a  strong  one — a  sort  that  grows  freely  and  healthily. 
Here  are  a  few  such  varieties  ; 

Annie  Elizabeth  Lord  Derby 

Blenheim  Orange  Peasgood's  Nonsuch 

Bramley's  Seedling  Stone's 

Ecklinville  Seedling  AUington  Pippin 

Emperor  Alexander  Baumann's  Reinette 

Worcester  Pearmain 

The  last  three  are  dessert  varieties  ;  all  the  others  are 
cookers. 

How  to  Prepare  a  Tree  for  Grafting. — Carefully  examine 
the  tree,  and  fix  on  a  number  of  shoots  springing  from 
the  forks  of  the  main  stem  at  points  where  they  (the 
shoots)  are  healthy,  free  from  knots,  and  about  two 
inches  thick.  It  is  not  necessary  that  all  be  on  the  same 
level — in  fact,  it  is  an  advantage  if  those  towards  the 
centre  of  the  tree  are  on  a  somewhat  higher  level  than 
those  outside.  Cut  back  to  the  points  chosen  with  a  saw, 
clear  away  the  top-hamper,  trim  the  stumps  clean  with  a 
sharp  knife,  and  make  two  slits  down  the  bark  two  inches 
long,  on  opposite  sides  of  the  stump.  Raise  the  edges 
of  the  bark  by  tapping  down  a  thin,  hollow,  wood- 
carving  chisel  (not  a  carpenter's  or  iron  chisel,  which 
155 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

March  would  split  the  bark),  and  then  withdraw  it  to  make  way 
10-31     fQj-  tj^g  scion. 

How  to  Prepare  Grafts. — Take  portions  of  last  year's 
growth  that  were  removed  in  pruning,  and  laid  in  a 
shady  place  (see  previous  remarks  on  pruning),  and  cut 
them  into  short  lengths,  each  with  four  buds  on  it.  Pare 
down  the  lower  inch  and  a  half  with  a  sharp  knife, 
leaving  a  right-angled  shoulder  at  the  top,  and  then  press 
each  scion  down  into  one  of  the  slits  until  the  shoulder 
rest  on  the  top  of  the  stump.  Tie  the  grafts  securely 
in  with  raphia  (a  tying  material  procurable  from  all 
seedsmen  and  florists),  folding  it  evenly  from  top  to 
bottom,  and  then  paint  over  with  wax. 

Receipt  for  Grafting  Wax. — Take  between  four  and 
eight  parts  of  resin,  two  of  beeswax,  and  one  part  of 
tallow ;  and  melt  together  over  steady  heat.  The 
quantity  of  resin  must  be  regulated  to  give  a  paint-like 
mixture.  Paint  on  with  a  brush  while  hot.  The  wax 
will  set  at  once. 


Vegetables 

Sowing  for  the  main  supply  of  the  year  should  be  in 
progress  soon,  and  with  the  soil  in  a  crumbly  state  it  may 
be  done  during  the  latter  half  of  March. 

Broad  Beans  may  be  sown  at  the  depth  and  distance 
previously  advised. 

Broccoli. — If  a  supply  of  Broccoli  is  wanted  in  autumn 
a  packet  of  seed  may  be  sown  now,  an  early  variety,  such 
as  Self-protecting  Autumn  or  Michaelmas  White,  being 
chosen.  These,  and  Greens  generally,  may  be  sown  in 
rows  a  foot  apart,  drawn  in  fine  soil  on  a  reserve  plot. 
The  seed  should  be  sprinkled  in  very  thinly,  and  covered 
with  about  half  an  inch  of  soil.  The  soil  between  should 
156 


THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

be  hoed  to  keep  down  weeds,  and  the  seedhngs  thinned    March 
if  they  come  very  thick.  16-31 

Borecole  or  Kale. — The  various  kinds  of  this  vegetable 
are  useful  for  winter,  as  they  are  very  hardy,  and  are 
rarely  killed  in  the  most  severe  winters.  Seed  may  be 
sown  now,  and  treated  the  same  as  Broccoli.  Dwarf 
Green  Curled  is  a  good  variety. 

Brussels  Sprouts, — An  invaluable  vegetable  for  autumn 
and  early  winter,  seed  of  which  may  be  sown  now,  like 
Broccoli ;  Sutton's  Exhibition  is  a  splendid  variety. 

Carrots. — A  few  rows  of  Intermediate  Carrot  may  be 
sown.  This  type  is  the  most  generally  useful,  as  it  grows 
to  medium  size,  is  of  good  shape,  and  thrives  on  most 
soils.  But  those  who  have  the  choice  of  different  kinds 
of  soil  should  give  Carrots  light,  very  friable  ground, 
without  rank  manure.  Rough,  lumpy,  damp,  and  freshly- 
manured  soil  does  not  suit  them.  The  rows  may  be 
eighteen  inches  apart,  the  seed  sown  thinly  an  inch  deep, 
and  the  seedlings  thinned  by  stages  until  they  stand 
about  four  inches  apart.  While  hoeing  between  the 
rows  is  good,  it  is  advisable  to  keep  the  soil  near  the 
tops  of  the  young  plants  close  and  firm,  in  order  to 
exclude  the  Carrot  fly,  which  would  otherwise  go  down 
and  lay  eggs,  with  the  result  that  maggots  hatching 
therefrom  would  injure  the  crop. 

Celery. — Seed  of  Celery  for  winter  and  spring  supplies 
may  be  sown  now.  Mild  bottom  heat,  such  as  that  of 
a  hot  bed  under  a  frame,  favours  germination,  but  the 
plants  will  come  through,  although  a  little  slower,  in 
a  greenhouse.  Prepare  fine  soil  in  a  box  or  pan,  as 
previously  advised,  sow  very  thinly,  and  cover  about 
half  an  inch.  When  the  seedlings  are  two  inches  high 
they  may  be  set  four  inches  apart  in  boxes,  and  kept 
until  early  June,  or  such  time  as  ground  is  available 
157 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

March  for  making  the  trenches.  Standard  Bearer  is  a  good 
16-31  red  variety.  The  Turnip-rooted  (Celeriac)  is  good  for 
cooking. 

Chicory. — Gardeners  grow  this  vegetable  mainly  as 
a  winter  salad,  but  the  Brussels  or  "Witloef"  makes 
a  delicious  spring  vegetable  when  forced  and  cooked 
like  Seakale.  Seed  of  Chicory  may  be  sown  now  to 
yield  roots  in  autumn,  which,  lifted  then  and  put  into 
boxes  or  large  pots,  will  push  foliage  suitable  for  salads. 

Cucumbers. — I  have  already  spoken  of  sowing 
Cucumbers  for  early  crops.  The  plants  thus  raised 
are  generally  grown  in  houses,  later  supplies  only 
being  taken  from  frames.  They  (the  house  plants) 
ought  not  to  be  stopped,  but  the  growth  tied  to  a 
stake  inserted  in  the  pot.  When  the  plants  are  about 
a  foot  high  they  may  be  planted  in  mounds  of  soil 
made  up  two  feet  apart  on  slates  on  the  stages.  Three 
points  should  be  observed  in  connection  with  these 
mounds  :  (i)  they  should  be  only  just  large  enough  to 
cover  the  roots,  more  soil  being  added  as  the  plants 
grow  ;  (2)  the  soil  should  not  be  in  line  particles,  but  in 
lumps ;  (3)  it  should  be  warmed  by  being  placed  in 
position  in  the  house  a  few  days  prior  to  planting. 
Seeds  may  now  be  sown  for  yielding  plants  to  grow  in 
frames.  They  should  be  raised  in  warmth,  such  as  on 
a  hot  bed,  in  a  propagator,  or  in  a  warm  house,  and 
have  the  tip  pinched  off  when  they  have  made  two  pairs 
of  rough  leaves,  to  encourage  them  to  form  side  shoots. 
When  the  plant  is  put  out,  which  should  be  on  a  mound 
of  earth  in  the  centre  of  a  manure  bed  in  the  frame,  the 
side  shoots  can  be  trained  over  the  bed  in  different 
directions,  and  overcrowding  thus  avoided.  Improved 
Telegraph  is  a  suitable  variety. 

Egg  Plants^  Capsicum,  and  Chilies. — Although  these 
158 


THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

plants   have  their  culinary  uses,  principally  in   condi-    March 
ments,  British  gardeners  use  them  more  as  ornamental     16-31 
plants.     They   all    bear   attractive    fruits,    and    may   be 
mixed  with  flowering  plants  in  greenhouses.     The  seed 
can  be  sown  in  a  greenhouse  now. 

Endive. — Plants  sown  in  the  previous  summer,  with 
Lettuces,  to  yield  spring  salads,  may  now  be  encouraged 
to  grow  by  hoeing.  Fresh  seed  may  be  sown  if  an 
early  summer  supply  is  wanted,  but  it  should  be  sown 
in  a  greenhouse  or  frame,  and  the  seedlings  planted  out 
later  on. 

Gourds  and  Pumpkins. — Gourds  and  Pumpkins  are 
sometimes  grown  in  gardens  with  an  eye  to  both 
ornament  and  use — the  former  predominating.  The 
plants  are  often  trained  on  rustic  fencing,  or  arches 
or  pergolas,  and  when  well  furnished  with  large  leaves, 
and  carrying  a  number  of  large,  handsome,  and  perhaps 
highly-coloured  fruits,  they  have  an  effective  and  un- 
common appearance.  The  fruits  may  be  cooked  and 
eaten  in  the  same  way  as  Vegetable  Marrows,  if  desired. 
Herbs. — All  of  what  are  known  as  "  Sweet  and  Pot 
Herbs"  may  be  sown  in  spring.  A  few  of  the  most 
popular  kinds  are  :  Angelica,  which  is  cooked,  and  the 
seeds  used  for  flowering ;  Balm,  for  use  as  a  decoction 
in  fevers ;  Sweet  and  Bush  Basil,  used  for  flavouring ; 
Borage,  employed  for  flavouring  beverages ;  Curled 
Chervil,  mainly  used  for  salads  ;  Fennel,  used  in  sauces  ; 
Lavender,  mainly  for  making  Lavender  water ;  Pot  and 
Sweet  Marjoram,  both  used  for  flavouring;  Parsley,  for 
garnishing  ;  Rampion,  employed  as  a  winter  salad  ;  Sage, 
used  for  flavouring;  Summer  and  Winter  Savory,  both 
used  for  flavouring ;  Sorrel,  used  for  salads  and  flavour- 
ing ;  Thyme,  used  for  flavouring.  It  is  best  to  get  roots 
of  Mint,  Lemon  Thyme,  and  Tarragon. 
159 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

March  All  the  herbs  which  are  raised  from  seed  may  be 

I0~3I     sown  in  a  sunny  spot,  not  too  damp.     In  wet  soil  and 

in  shady  places  the  plants  grow,  but  do  not  mature  well. 

The  seeds  of  most  kinds  may  be  sown  in  drills  a  foot 

apart,  and  the  plants  subsequently  thinned  and  hoed. 

Corn  Salad  is  useful  in  winter  salads,  and  may  be 
raised  from  seed  in  spring. 

Kohl  Rabi  is  generally  regarded  as  a  farm  crop,  but 
seedsmen  supply  selected  varieties  that  are  well  worth 
growing  in  the  kitchen  garden.  They  are  similar  to 
Turnips,  but  the  flavour  is  distinct,  and  is  highly  agree- 
able. The  plant  has  one  great  advantage  over  the 
Turnip,  that  it  will  generally  succeed  in  dry,  light  soil 
in  hot  seasons,  when  turnips  would  run  to  seed,  or  be 
hot  and  strong  in  flavour.  The  seed  may  be  sown  thinly 
in  drills  eighteen  inches  apart,  and  the  plants  thinned 
to  a  foot  apart.  The  leaves  spring  from  the  body  of  the 
bulb  on  various  parts  of  the  upper  half. 

Leeks. — I  have  already  said  that  it  is  a  good  plan 
to  sow  Leeks  under  glass  in  winter,  and  to  transplant 
them  later  on,  like  Celery.  Many  people  will  hardly 
consider  the  crop  worthy  of  this,  and  others  will  lack 
sufficient  room.  The  seed  may  be  sown  an  inch  deep 
out  of  doors  in  spring  in  drills  a  foot  apart,  in  a  spare 
plot,  the  rows  hoed,  thinned,  and  the  plants  put  out 
when  ground  becomes  vacant  in  summer.  Musselburgh 
is  a  reliable  variety. 

Lettuces. — More  Lettuces  may  be  sown  for  early 
summer  salads.  There  is  a  wastage  of  Lettuces  owing 
to  the  plants  running  to  seed  quicker  than  they  can 
be  used  if  many  are  grown  in  one  batch,  hence  the 
advisability  of  sowing  frequent  small  successional  rows. 
A  pinch  of  seed  may  be  sown  fortnightly  henceforth 
if  a  constant  supply  is  wanted.  Those  who  like  the 
1 60 


THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

upright  ("  Cos  ")  Lettuces  the  best  may  sow  the  Superb  March 
White.  Favourite  and  Continuity  are  good  varieties  of  16-31 
Cabbage  Lettuce.  The  soil  in  the  seed  bed  should  be 
made  fine,  the  drills  drawn  a  foot  apart  and  half  an  inch 
deep,  the  seed  sprinkled  in  very  thinly,  protection  from 
birds  provided  in  the  form  of  fish  netting,  the  ground 
hoed  regularly,  the  plants  thinned  to  prevent  crowding, 
and  the  seedlings  transplanted  to  positions  along  borders, 
or  between  Pea  rows,  when  they  are  about  three  inches 
high. 

Mushrooms. — Note  the  remarks  on  making  beds  in 
Chapter  IL  A  bed  may  be  prepared  now,  and  the 
earlier  the  better. 

Mustard  and  Cress. — Successional  sowings  may  now 
begin  in  the  open  air.  The  principal  trouble  with  the 
outdoor  sowings  is  that  particles  of  soil  are  apt  to  get 
into  the  plants,  making  the  salad  gritty.  This  may  be 
avoided  to  some  extent  by  making  the  soil  exceedingly 
fine,  and  only  just  covering  the  seed. 

Onions. — The  principal  crop  may  now  be  sown  out 
of  doors,  if  the  plan  of  raising  the  plants  in  boxes  under 
glass  in  winter  (see  previous  remarks)  is  not  preferred. 
The  soil  should  have  been  made  deep  and  rich  by 
bastard  trenching  and  manuring  in  the  manner  already 
recommended,  but  this  work  may  still  be  done.  The 
surface  should  be  well  pulverised  when  the  soil  is  dry 
enough  to  crumble,  so  that  a  fine  sowing  tilth  can  be 
secured.  It  is  not  desirable  that  the  seed  should  be 
covered  more  than  an  inch  deep.  Nine  inches  will  be 
a  sufficient  distance  between  the  rows  for  small,  hard, 
long-keeping  sorts  like  James's,  Brown  Globe,  Bedford- 
shire Champion,  Blood  Red,  Danvers'  Yellow,  White 
Spanish,  and  White  Lisbon  ;  but  larger  varieties,  such 
as  Ailsa  Craig,  Cranston's  Excelsior,  and  A  i  should 
161  L 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

March    have  at  least  a  foot — more  if  they  are  transplanted  from 
16-31     boxes.    The  ground  must  be  made  quite  hard  after  sowing. 

Parsnips. — The  Parsnip  crop  requires  a  friable  soil, 
not  recently  manured.  The  seed  may  be  sown  an  inch 
deep  in  drills  eighteen  inches  apart,  and  the  plants 
thinned  to  nine  inches.  The  seed  is  light  and  flaky, 
so  that  it  is  easily  blown  about.  For  this  reason  the 
grower  must  either  avoid  sowing  on  a  windy  day  or  mix 
the  seed  with  soil  before  scattering  it  in  the  drills. 
Some  growers  economise  seed  by  sowing  a  cluster  of 
three  seeds  at  every  nine  inches  of  drill,  and  thinning 
the  resulting  plants  down  to  one.  Tender  and  True  is 
a  splendid  variety. 

Peas. — Choice  Marrowfat  Peas  may  be  sown  now 
for  yielding  dehcious  dishes  at  the  end  of  June  and 
early  in  July.  The  best  of  soil  should  be  allotted  to 
this  important  crop — soil  that  has  been  bastard-trenched 
or  deeply  dug  and  manured  liberally.  I  say  "  has 
been,"  but  it  is  never  too  late  to  improve  soil,  and  rather 
than  sow  in  thin,  poor  land  by  all  means  set  to  work 
now.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  many  excellent  gardeners 
consider  that  spring  is  the  best  time  to  prepare  heavy, 
damp  land.  The  surface  soil  should  be  crumbled,  and 
wide  drills  drawn  three  inches  deep.  As  mentioned  in 
a  previous  chapter,  it  is  wise  to  protect  the  seed  from 
vermin  by  moistening  it  in  paraffin  oil  previous  to 
sowing.  If  trouble  should  occur  in  spite  of  that,  bait 
some  traps  with  Peas  strung  on  wire,  and  place  them 
about  the  rows,  as  the  losses  are  probably  due  to  field 
mice.  Birds  can  be  kept  away  by  black  threads  or 
fish  netting.  Centenary,  Duke  of  York,  Stratagem, 
Duke  of  Albany,  and  Senator  are  all  good  varieties. 
Any  may  be  chosen.  Pea  sticks  should  be  ordered 
wherewith  to  support  the  plants  later  on. 
162 


THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

Potatoes. — Many  gardeners  plant  the  bulk  of  their  March 
Potatoes  in  the  latter  half  of  March,  and  there  is  16-31 
certainly  no  objection,  provided  that  the  soil  is  friable 
and  merely  damp,  not  "cloggy."  The  ground  is  bene- 
fited by  digging  deeply  and  giving  a  dressing  of  good 
yard  manure  at  the  rate  of  two  barrow-loads  per  square 
rod  ;  the  manure  should  be  turned  quite  under,  so  that 
it  is  out  of  contact  with  the  tubers ;  the  feeding  roots 
may  be  trusted  to  find  it.  Wide  drills  about  three 
inches  deep  may  be  drawn.  For  early  sorts  they  may 
be  twenty-four  inches  apart,  for  late  ones  twenty-eight. 
A  handful  of  chemical  manure,  consisting  of  three  parts 
superphosphate  and  one  part  sulphate  of  potash,  may  be 
spread  on  each  yard  of  drill.  The  seed  sets  may  be  put 
in  twelve  and  fourteen  inches  apart  respectively.  I  have 
already  said  that  sets  of  about  two  ounces  in  weight  are 
suitable,  and  they  may  be  planted  uncut,  save  for  slicing 
a  bit  off  the  end  to  see  that  the  flesh  is  free  from 
brownish  streaks  ;  if  the  latter  are  present  the  set  is 
unsound,  and  ought  not  to  be  planted.  If  the  early  sorts 
have  been  "  sprouted "  in  boxes  in  accordance  with 
previous  advice,  so  much  the  better.  After  the  drills 
have  been  filled  in,  the  loose  soil  beside  the  rows  may 
be  drawn  over  them  in  a  ridge  three  inches  high. 
Sharpe's  Express  (early),  British  Queen,  Windsor  Castle, 
or  Snowdrop  (succession),  and  Sensation  (late)  are  good 
varieties. 

Radishes. — The  earlier  sowings  may  be  succeeded  by 
others  at  fortnightly  intervals,  the  seed  being  sprinkled 
broadcast  on  fine,  moist  soil,  covered  an  inch  deep,  and 
protected  from  birds  with  black  thread  or  fish  netting. 
French  Breakfast  is  a  good  variety  for  present  sowing. 

Rhubarb. — If  it  is  desired  to  raise  Rhubarb  from  seed, 
a  sowing  may  be  made  now,  in  drills  an  inch  deep  and 
163 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

March  a  foot  apart.  The  crop  will  not  be  ready  for  three  years, 
^^""31  and  if  a  supply  is  wanted  next  year  "  crowns  "  must  be 
planted  in  spring,  three  to  four  feet  apart  according  to 
the  variety,  in  deep,  rich  soil,  and  covered  four  inches. 
They  may  cost  from  five  shillings  to  seven-and-sixpence 
a  dozen.  Champagne  is  a  good  small  early  variety, 
and  Victoria  a  very  fine  large  late  one. 

Salsify  and  Scorzonera. — The  conditions  suitable  for 
sowing  Carrots  and  Parsnips  will  be  good  for  Salsify 
and  Scorzonera,  which  are  minor  tap-root  crops.  The 
seed  may  be  sown  in  drills  an  inch  deep  and  a  foot 
apart,  and  the  plants  thinned  to  nine  inches.  Each 
has  a  very  distinct  flavour,  and  Salsify  (the  "  Vegetable 
Oyster  ")  is  greatly  appreciated  by  some  people. 

Seakale. — I  have  already  spoken  of  forcing  Seakale 
under  cover  ;  let  me  now  say  that  if  earth,  or  ashes,  be 
heaped  over  the  outdoor  plants  to  the  height  of  about 
a  foot,  a  natural  process  of  forcing  will  be  started  that 
involves  very  little  expense,  and  yields  very  good 
produce.  The  stems  will  grow  up  within  the  covering 
material,  and  when  they  have  extended  some  eight  or 
nine  inches  the  earth  may  be  removed  and  the  produce 
cut.  Pieces  of  Seakale  root  about  as  thick  as  the  Httle 
finger,  and  double  the  length,  may  now  be  planted 
eighteen  inches  apart  in  deep,  rich,  friable  soil.  The 
tips  should  be  left  level  with  the  surface.  These  ought 
to  give  produce  strong  enough  for  forcing  next  winter. 
Seed  may  be  sown  now,  to  give  plants  strong  enough 
for  forcing  three  years  hence. 

Shallots  and  Potato  Onions. — There  should  be  no 
further  delay  in  planting  these,  as  it  is  already  late. 
Planting  bulbs  of  Shallots  cost  about  a  shilling  a  pound, 
of  Potato  Onions  about  sixpence.  The  former  may  be 
set  out  nine  inches  apart,  the  latter  fifteen  mches.  Seed 
164 


THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

of  Shallots  may  be  sown  now,  but  the  crop  will  not  be    March 
ready  until  the  following  year.  16-31 

Tomatoes. — Plants  raised  from  seed  sown  a  few  weeks 
ago  may  now  be  three  to  four  inches  high,  with  a  pair, 
or  perhaps  two  pairs,  of  cut  leaves.  They  should  be 
set  about  five  inches  apart  in  boxes,  or  put  singly  in 
small  pots,  and  given  a  light,  airy  position,  so  that  they 
may  keep  sturdy.  A  flower  stake  may  be  put  to  them 
when  they  need  support.  The  tips  should  not  be 
stopped,  but  every  little  side  shoot  which  forms  on  the 
main  stem,  in  the  socket  of  the  leaf  stalk,  should  be 
nipped  out  directly  it  is  large  enough  to  be  caught 
between  finger  and  thumb.  Seed  may  be  sown  in  a 
frame  or  greenhouse  now,  to  yield  plants  for  the  main 
crop.     Sunrise  is  a  good  variety. 

Turnips. — Fortnightly  outdoor  sowings  may  be  made 
henceforth,  if  a  succession  of  roots  is  wanted.  The 
seed  may  be  sown  broadcast  in  a  spare  plot,  or  in 
rows  between  Peas,  in  drills  half  an  inch  deep,  covered 
and  promptly  rolled  or  well  trodden.  Protect  with 
threads  or  netting  to  keep  birds  off,  and  thin  the 
seedlings  early.  Snowball  and  Veitch's  Red  Globe  are 
good  varieties.  The  former  may  be  chosen  for  present 
and  the  latter  for  later  sowings. 

Vegetable  Marrows. — Seed  may  be  sown  now  for  the 
main  crop.  One  seed  will  be  enough  for  a  small  pot. 
The  pots  should  go  into  a  hot-bed  frame  or  heated 
greenhouse.  Long  White  and  Pen-y-Byd  are  good 
varieties,  but  if  early  fruit  is  wanted,  the  Bush  should  be 
chosen. 

The  Garden  in  March— A  Resume  March 

March  is  the  dawn  of  the  gardening  year.     Vegeta-   Resume 
tion    becomes    active.      Trees  and    shrubs    break    into 
165 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

March  growth.  Herbaceous  plants  begin  to  move.  Roses 
—  swell  their  buds  and  even  break  into  leaf.  Early  bulbs 
^^^"'"^    bloom. 

Herbaceous  borders,  which  are  the  principal  feature 
of  modern  flower  gardens,  may  be  taken  in  hand,  all 
dead  growth  removed  and  burnt,  the  stools  divided,  the 
ground  dug  and  manured.  New  borders  may  be  made, 
and,  if  desired,  the  plants  may  be  arranged  in  special 
colour  groups. 

Rockeries  may  also  have  attention.  Plants  may  be 
divided  if  more  are  needed,  and  if  they  are  adapted  to 
this  method  of  propagation.  New  rockeries  may  be 
made,  and  furnished  with  selected  plants,  calculated  to 
bloom  at  different  seasons  of  the  year. 

Carnations  may  be  planted,  and  Marguerite  Carna- 
tions sown. 

Bulbs  that  are  going  out  of  bloom  should  have  at- 
tention, and  not  be  dried  off  prematurely. 

Plant  houses  may  be  vaporised  periodically  from  the 
present  time  in  order  to  keep  insects  in  subjection. 

Half-hardy  annuals  may  be  sown  under  glass. 
Dahlias  and  Cannas  may  be  propagated.  Tubers  of 
Begonias  and  Gloxinias  may  be  started. 

Seedling  plants  raised  by  sowing  in  winter  must  be 
pricked  off,  watered  carefully,  and  given  abundance  of 
air. 

Vines  and  Peaches  which  are  in  bloom  under  glass 
may  be  fertilised.  Vines  which  have  recently  started 
may  be  disbudded.  Peaches  which  have  set  their  fruit 
may  be  disbudded. 

Hardy  fruit  trees  may  be  grafted  when  the  buds 
begin  to  swell.  The  varieties  for  grafting  should  be 
carefully  selected. 

Most  kinds  of  vegetables  may  be  sown  or  planted  if 
1 66 


THE   DAWN   OF   SPRING 

the  weather  is  favourable,  and  the  ground  in  a  suitable    March 
state,  notably  Broad  Beans,  Borecole,  Broccoli,  Brussels       — 
Sprouts,  Carrots,  Celery,  Chicory,  Cucumbers,  Endive,    ^^^""^ 
Gourds,   Herbs,    Leeks,   Lettuces,  Mustard    and   Cress, 
Onions,   Parsnips,  Peas,   Potatoes,   Radishes,  Rhubarb, 
Salsify,  Scorzonera,  Seakale,  Shallots,  Tomatoes,  Turnips, 
and  Vegetable  Marrows. 


167 


CHAPTER  IV 

LATE    SHOWERS   AND    EARLY   FLOWERS 

April  When  *'  February  fill-dyke "  has  played  its  traditional 
part,  the  April  garden  is  full  of  promise.  The  well- 
moistened  soil  promotes  a  strong  flow  of  sap.  Shrubs 
and  fruit  trees  burst  their  fat  buds.  Bulbous  plants, 
which  love  moisture  above  everything,  and  rarely  get 
enough  of  it,  grow  into  large  masses  and  bloom  pro- 
fusely. But  April  showers  are  welcome,  especially  to 
those  gardeners  who  have  soils  which  get  steely  under 
the  influence  of  cold,  harsh  March  winds.  The  rain 
softens  the  hard  lumps,  and  enables  the  cultivator  to 
crumble  them  with  his  tools ;  and  showers  are  very 
welcome  to  the  seedlings  which  are  now  coming  through, 
both  in  flower  and  kitchen  garden. 

There  is  no  greater  stimulus  to  young  crops  than  a 
shower  and  a  hoeing.  Observe  how  the  plants  leap  after 
rain  and  soil-loosening.  They  "jump"  in  a  way  that 
gladdens  the  grower's  heart.  The  rain  sets  the  sap 
moving  with  fresh  supplies  of  food  ;  the  hoeing  lets  in 
air  and  uproots  weeds. 

I  have  already  said  that  the  gardening  year  ought  to 
begin  in  winter,  because  the  rougher  work,  such  as  pre- 
paring soil,  making  lawns  and  forming  paths,  can  be 
done  with  greater  deliberation  and  thoroughness.  But 
many  amateurs  make  their  annual  start  in  April,  and  my 
advice  to  them  is  to  resolve,  by  prompt  and  resolute 
action,  to  make  the  most  of  every  fine  spell  in  the  month 
i68 


LATE  SHOWERS  &  EARLY  FLOWERS 

of  showers.      Let  them  set-to  at  their  soil  with  a  will,     April 
deepen  it,  manure  it,  and  push  on  their  pruning,  planting, 
and  sowing  with  real  gusto.    Hours  wasted  in  the  earlier 
months  may  be  made  up  sometimes,  but  in  April  lost 
moments  are  never  found  again. 

APRIL— First  and  Second  Weeks  April 

Flowers 

Planting  and  Pruning  Roses. — Early  April  is  the  latest 
period  of  the  spring  when  it  is  safe  to  transplant  Roses. 
Even  now  it  will  be  well  to  syringe 
them  after  planting  if  there  is  no 
rain,  in  order  to  check  evapora- 
tion from  the  leaves  that  will 
probably  be  forming.  Indeed, 
the  amateur  will  be  wise  to  go 
further,  and  cut  the  plants  back 
to  dormant  buds  near  the  base  of 
the  stems.  Some  good  varieties 
were    described    in    Chapter    III. 

The  pruning  of  established  Roses  "' 

...       1  1   i.   J  1       •      Fig.  3S.— Planting  Roses. 

ought   to   be  completed    early   m         "  ,     .  . 

o  ^  ■'  c.  The  roots  spread  out  in 

April.      I    have  already    said   that  the    hole    ready    for 

growers     who     are     not    familiar 

with  the  varieties  will  do  well  to  prune  hard,  but 
as  to  this  I  should  like  to  take  the  opportunity  of 
speaking  more  fully  ;  dealing  first  with  dwarfs  and 
standards.  The  old-time  rosarian,  who  grew  mainly  for 
exhibition,  was  a  notorious  hard  pruner.  He  cut  his 
plants  practically  away,  reducing  the  shoots  to  mere 
stumps  of  three  or  four  inches  long  every  spring.  The 
modern  grower  has  revolted  against  this,  and  the  ten- 
dency nowadays  is  to  prune  lightly,  especially  in  the  case 
169 


April 
I- 15 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY    WEEK 

of  strong-growing  sorts.  The  hard  pruning  of  former 
days  was  not  wholly  wrong,  from  the  point  of  view,  and 
with  the  class  of  variety,  which  prompted  it.  Indeed,  I 
would  recommend  its  imitation  even  now  for  weak 
Roses,  especially  if  show  flowers  are  wanted.  Roses 
with  twigs  no  thicker  than  macaroni  may  be  cut  back 
hard — every  shoot  to  within  three  or  four  buds  of  its 

base — each    spring.      The 
modern    system    of    light 
iV  pruning  would  be  carried 
(j/j      to  undesirable  extremes  if 
7/        weak  growths  were  trifled 
'•^  with.     Perhaps  some  weak 

Roses  have  already  been 
partially  pruned,  in  pur- 
suance of  the  hints  given 
in  my  last  chapter ;  let 
the  work  be  completed 
now  to  the  extent  here 
indicated. 

The  disposition  to  prune 
Roses  on  the  whole  more 
lightly  than  was  formerly 
the  case  has  sprung  into 
being  as  a  natural  result 
of  the  introduction  of  a 
considerable  number  of  Teas  and  Hybrid  Teas.  These 
new-comers  have  a  much  more  vigorous  habit  than  the 
majority  of  the  old  Hybrid  Perpetuals,  which  once  held 
the  sway.  They  form  long,  strong  shoots — approximating, 
in  some  cases,  to  those  of  recognised  climbers.  When 
these  shoots  get  well  ripened,  they  are  quite  capable 
of  developing  subsidiary  shoots,  on  which  flowers  are 
borne.  Varieties  of  this  type  do  not  need  severe  annual 
170 


Fig.  36.— Pruning  Dwarf  Roses. 

a.  How   to   prune   a   dwarf    Rose  of 

medium  strength. 

b.  How  to  prune  one  of  strong  growth 

for  exhibition  flowers.  If  grown 
for  garden  effect  it  need  not  be  cut 
so  low  by  one-half. 

c.  A  small  basal  shoot  which  must  be 

cut  away  entirely.  Prune  to  buds 
pointing  outwards. 


LATE  SHOWERS  &  EARLY  FLOWERS 

pruning ;  in  fact,  they  are  injured  by  it,  because  the 
wood  has  got  so  hard  near  the  base  that  fresh  growths 
do  not  break  freely  from  it.  Only  the  small  shoots  on 
the  plant  need  be  cut  back ;  the  large  ones  may  be  left 
unpruned,  or  at  the  most  have  the  unripe  extremities 
removed. 

One  sometimes  reads  that  Hybrid  Perpetual  Roses 
should  be  pruned  hard,  but  Teas  and  Hybrid  Teas 
lightly.       I    think    that  b. 

this  is  taking  an  incor- 
rect view.  It  is  not  the 
class  to  which  a  variety 
belongs,  but  the  char- 
acter of  its  growth, 
which  should  decide  the 
degree  of  pruning.  A 
Tea  Rose  should  be 
pruned  equally  as  hard 
as  a  Hybrid  Perpetual 
if  it  is  of  similarly  weak 
growth  ;  indeed,  some 
Teas  (Cleopatra,  for  in- 
stance) may  be  pruned 
harder  than  some  Hy- 
brid Perpetuals — notably  Fran  Karl  Druschki. 

Universal  hard  pruning  is  only  advisable  in  two  cases 
— (i)  just  after  planting,  (2)  after  injury  by  frost.  Newly- 
planted  Roses  are  the  better  for  being  pruned  hard. 
Frost-bitten  Roses  must  be  cut  back,  and  back,  and  back 
until  the  pruner  comes  to  white  pith. 

It  is  not,  as  a  rule,  wise  to  prune  either  dwarf  or 
standard  Roses  annually  to  a  greater  extent  than  remov- 
ing the  tips  if  the  branches  are  half  an  inch  thick.    Only 
thin-wooded  ones  should  be  cut  hard. 
171 


April 
1-15 


Fig.  37. — Pruning  Pillar  Roses. 

a.  Roses  on  one  pillar  properly  pruned. 

b.  The  Roses  on  another  pillar  unpruned  ; 

the  dark  lines  show  where  the  pruning 
must  be  done. 

c.  Leading  shoots  which  must  not  be  cut 

off,  but  tied  to  the  chain. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

April  With  respect  to  climbing  Roses,  the  common  idea 

^~^5  that  pruning  is  inadvisable  is  wrong.  Pruning  may  not 
be  absolutely  necessary,  but  it  is  certainly  advantageous. 
One  reads  that  Crimson  Rambler,  Gloire  de  Dijon, 
William  Allen  Richardson,  Reine  Marie  Henriette, 
Dundee  Rambler,  Dorothy  Perkins,  I'ldeal,  Felicite  et 
Perpetue,  Ards  Rover,  and  the  rest  of  the  charming 
sisterhood  of  pillar,  arch,  and  wall  Roses  do  not  need 
pruning.  If  by  "need"  we  are  to  read  that  they  are  not 
benefited  by  it,  the  advice  is  entirely  wrong.  I  do  not 
think  that  any  exact  rule  can  be  laid  down.  To  say 
either  "prune"  or  "do  not  prune,"  and  go  no  further,  is 
to  follow  the  line  of  least  resistance.  In  the  former  case 
it  does  not  help  the  reader  very  much.  In  the  latter  it 
puts  him  on  the  straight  and  easy  path  that  leads  to 
Rose  ruin. 

One  has  only  to  study  the  different  habits  of  various 
climbing  Roses  to  see  that  the  same  method  of  pruning 
does  not  apply  equally  to  all.  I  might  make  two  broad 
distinctions,  and  class  them  as  "rod"  and  "spray" 
Roses.  The  former  make  long  canes,  and  bear  their 
flowers  on  short  shoots,  which  break  from  the  rods.  In 
the  case  of  that  Rose  of  miraculous  vigour,  Dorothy 
Perkins,  the  flowering  shoots  are  not  really  short ;  they 
are  often  semi-rods,  and  droop  low  and  gracefully  under 
their  burden  of  flowers.  Crimson  Rambler  and  Carmine 
Pillar  are  rod  Roses,  and  the  way  to  prune  them  is  to 
select  the  old,  hard,  pithy  rods  which  have  flowered,  are 
very  dark  in  colour,  and  often  have  crinkly  bark,  and  cut 
them  out  close  to  the  ground.  The  younger,  lighter- 
coloured  rods  should,  of  course,  be  retained  for  flowering. 
It  sometimes  happens  that  one  of  the  best  of  the  young 
rods  is  produced,  not  direct  from  the  root  stock,  but 
from  the  lower  part  of  an  old  cane,  and  the  case  creates 
172 


Single  Annual  Chkvsanthemums  from  seei 
doors  in  spring. 


SOWN    OUT   OF 


LATE  SHOWERS  &  EARLY  FLOWERS 

perplexity.    If  there  are  plenty  of  flowering  rods  without    April 
the  one  in  doubt,  it  may  go  with  the  old  rod  which  bears      ^~^5 
it,  but  if  not,  the  older  wood  may  be  pruned  back  to  the 
point  where  the  young  one  springs  from  it. 

Gloire  de  Dijon  and  Reine  Marie  Henrietta  are  rather 
*'  spray  "  than  "  rod  "  Roses.  When  they  are  established 
they  do  not  throw  up  long  canes  annually,  but  they 
produce  a  good  deal  of  side  wood  from  the  main 
branches.  This  wood  may  be  pruned  on  somewhat  the 
same  principle  as  dwarfs — that  is,  the  short,  twiggy 
shoots  cut  close  in,  and  the  longer  ones  merely  tipped. 
But  I  may  modify  this  to  the  extent  of  saying  that  if  there 
is  more  strong  wood  than  can  be  accommodated  on  the 
wall  or  arch  without  crowding,  I  would  cut  the  excess 
clean  out.  William  Allen  Richardson  is  likely  to  need  a 
good  deal  of  restriction  when  it  is  growing  in  congenial 
soil,  as  it  generally  makes  more  annual  growth  than  can 
be  accommodated.  The  grower  should  thin  it  vigorously. 
Dundee  Rambler  is  a  "rod"  Rose  of  tremendous  vigour. 
It  has  almost  as  much  vitality  as  Dorothy  Perkins.  It  is 
true  that  it  does  not  throw  up  so  many  strong  canes 
from  the  root  every  year  as  Dorothy  does,  but  the  shoots 
extend  far  and  wide.  It  needs  thinning  and  shortening ; 
the  older  wood  thinning,  and  the  younger  wood,  which 
is  often  very  long  and  slender,  shortening.  Dorothy 
Perkins  may  have  some  of  the  old  rods  cut  out  at  the 
base  like  Crimson  Rambler,  but  a  good  deal  of  young 
wood  is  certain  to  go  with  it,  as  this  variety  oozes  shoots 
from  every  pore.  The  pruner  sometimes  gets  alarmed 
when  he  observes  the  growing  heap  of  prunings  beside 
him,  but  he  need  not  have  any  fear,  as  there  will  soon 
be  abundance  of  fresh  growth  on  his  plants.  Felicite  et 
Perpdtue  is  only  a  degree  less  vigorous  than  Dorothy 
Perkins,  but  it  produces  fewer  canes  and  more  spray.  It 
173 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

April  requires  thinning  and  also  considerable  shortening,  in 
^"^5  view  of  the  thicket  of  side  twigs.  The  Penzance  Briers 
produce  rods,  which  should  be  thinned  out  as  they  get 
old  and  hard.  Flowers  will  be  produced  from  the 
younger  canes,  which  may  spring  from  the  root  stock,  or 
as  laterals  from  the  old  rods. 

Hardy  Annuals. — Early  April  is  generally  the  best 
time  of  the  year  for  sowing  hardy  annuals  out  of  doors, 
because  the  soil  has  become  well  warmed  by  the  spring 
sun,  and  is  in  a  condition  to  crumble  freely  under  the 
rake.  I  gave  a  list  of  plants  in  my  first  chapter,  and  I 
need  do  no  more  now  than  advise  the  reader  to  give 
special  attention  to  such  particularly  valuable  kinds  as 
Sweet  Peas,  Mignonette,  Godetias,  Clarkias,  Poppies, 
Rose  Mallow  (Lavatera),  Miss  Jekyll's  Love-in-a-Mist, 
double  annual  Chrysanthemums,  and  Nasturtiums.  In 
mentioning  the  names  of  these  and  other  kinds,  I  stated 
the  distance  that  they  should  go  apart.  Let  the  amateur 
beware  of  crowding.  Clumps  look  better  than  rows, 
both  in  beds  and  borders.  It  is  not  a  bad  plan  to  drop 
three  or  four  seeds  in  groups  about  a  foot  apart,  and 
thin  the  resulting  plants  down  to  one.  The  advantages 
of  this  plan  over  sowing  a  broad  patch  is  that  less  seed 
is  used  and  less  trouble  involved  in  thinning.  Remember 
that  while  annuals  make  beautiful  and  cheap  beds  when 
they  are  well  grown,  they  are  also  well  worthy  of  being 
put  into  herbaceous  borders,  where  the  later-blooming 
kinds  can  be  utilised  to  succeed  the  early-flowering 
perennials.    (See  remarks  in  Chapter  III.) 

Sweet  Peas. — The  Sweet  Pea  is  the  queen  of  hardy 
annuals,  and  is  well  worthy  of  special  culture.  A  row  of 
mixed  varieties  looks  charming,  but  those  who  like  to 
grow  special  varieties  under  name  may  make  up  continu- 
ous rows  by  sowing  or  planting  short  lengths  (perhaps 
174 


If 

White  Iceland  I'opi'ies. 


LATE  SHOWERS  &  EARLY  FLOWERS 

only  three  or  four  feet)  of  each  sort ;  if  the  latter  plan  is  April 
adopted,  it  is  well  to  blend  colours.  Red,  white,  and  I~I5 
blue  are  harmonious  neighbours.  Blue  looks  well  beside 
cream.  But  separate  clumps  may  be  made  instead  of 
straight  rows  if  desired.  Clumps  look  well  in  mixed 
borders,  and  in  special  positions  on  lawns.  If  the  soil  is 
rich  and  moist,  neither  rows  nor  clumps  ought  to  be 
nearer  than  six  feet  to  each  other.  A  circle  made  for  a 
clump  (and  the  circle  system  is  the  best,  as  it  keeps  the 
plants  from  crowding  at  the  centre)  ought  not  to  be  less 
than  a  yard  across.  The  drills  for  both  rows  and  clumps 
should  be  made  about  three  inches  deep  in  fine,  friable 
soil.  Some  Sweet  Peas  have  white  and  some  black  seeds  ; 
it  is  a  good  plan  to  chip  the  latter  with  a  sharp  knife,  as 
this  facilitates  germination.  Those  who  have  raised 
plants  under  glass  may  plant  them  out  not  less  than  six 
inches  apart  in  April  ;  they  will  probably  give  flowers 
earlier  than  those  sown  out  of  doors,  and  the  plants  are 
likely  to  be  stronger.  Lime  should  be  dusted  along  the 
rows  to  keep  off  slugs.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  get  the  sticks 
which  are  to  support  the  plants  at  once,  and  to  cut  out 
some  of  the  twiggy  shoots  on  the  upper  part  to  place 
among  the  plants  as  protection.  The  principal  sticks 
can  be  put  in  later  if  they  are  regarded  as  an  eyesore 
while  bare,  but  assthetic  considerations  must  not  be 
carried  far.  The  sticks  ought  to  be  put  in  when  the 
plants  throw  out  tendrils,  and  it  is  inevitable  that  the 
sticks  are  bare  for  a  few  weeks. 

Some  good  varieties  of  Sweet  Peas  were  named  in 
Chapter  I. 

Sowing  Lawn   Grass  Seed. — April  is  nominally  the 

best  month  in  the  year  for  sowing  Grass  seed,  but  it 

sometimes  happens  that  it  is  the  worst.     If  cold  winds 

prevail  the  ground  is  chilled,  and  the  seed  lies  dormant. 

175 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY    WEEK 

April  In  such  circumstances  it  is  wise  to  wait  for  better  weather 
I"I5  — even  if  it  means  sowing  as  late  as  May.  Grass  seed 
may  go  in  whenever  the  ground  has  been  warmed  by 
spring  sun,  is  moist,  and  crumbles  to  a  fine  tilth  under 
the  rake  ;  the  ground  should  be  firm,  perfectly  level,  and 
free  from  stones.  The  seed  should  be  sprinkled  evenly 
over  the  surface  on  a  still  day  (in  windy  weather  it  would 
be  blown  into  heaps)  at  the  rate  of  about  three-quarters 
of  a  pound  per  square  rod.  Afterwards  the  ground 
should  be  scratched  over  with  a  rake  to  partially  cover 
the  seed,  trodden  or  rolled,  and  protected  from  birds 
with  black  thread  strung  a  few  inches  above  the  surface, 
or  fish  netting,  or  scares.  It  is  absolutely  essential  to 
keep  off  the  birds  somehow,  otherwise  they  will  have  the 
greater  part  of  the  seed,  and  what  is  left  will  be  unable 
to  give  a  plant  strong  enough  to  outgrow  the  various 
weeds  that  are  likely  to  thrust  themselves  forward.  It  is 
a  good  plan  to  regularly  roll  the  young  Grass  from  the 
time  that  it  is  an  inch  high.  When  it  is  three  inches 
high,  the  tops  should  be  cut  or  clipped  off.  The  mowing 
machine  ought  not  to  be  put  on  until  the  Grass  begins 
to  thicken  at  the  base.  This  means  that  the  roots  are 
spreading  and  throwing  up  fresh  Grass. 

Begonia  Gloire  de  Lorraine. — If  this  beautiful  winter- 
flowering  Begonia  was  rested  and  cut  back  after  flowering, 
it  ought  now  to  be  throwing  up  young  shoots.  These 
may  be  taken  off  as  cuttings  when  they  are  two  or  three 
inches  long,  and  inserted  in  sandy  soil.  They  quickly 
1  root  if  placed  over  bottom  heat,  and  make  good  flowering 

plants  by  the  autumn. 

Sowing  Cinerarias. — Seed  of  Cinerarias  may  be  sown 
in  a  hot-bed  frame  or  heated  greenhouse  for  giving  plants 
to  flower  next  winter. 

Startijtg  and  Propagating  Fuchsias. — One   finds,   in 
176 


LATE  SHOWERS  &   EARLY  FLOWERS 

visiting  the  large  nurseries,  that  the  increased  popularity  April 
of  Orchids,  pot  Roses,  Carnations,  and  other  plants  has  ^"^5 
not  materially  affected  the  position  of  that  old-time 
favourite,  the  Fuchsia.  It  is  still  grown  a  great  deal. 
The  plan  with  it  is  to  dry  it  off  in  autumn,  keep  it 
dormant  through  the  winter,  start  it  again  in  spring  by 
putting  it  in  a  warm  house,  pruning  the  shoots  close 
back,  and  syringing  it.  If  more  plants  are  needed,  some 
of  the  young  shoots  are  taken  off  when  about  three 
inches  long,  and  inserted  in  sandy  soil.  They  root 
quickly  if  kept  warm  and  close,  and  in  the  course  of  the 
summer  make  good  flowering  plants. 

Soine  Special  Herbaceous  and  Rock  Plants. — Herba- 
ceous plants  may  still  be  put  in  ;  indeed,  early  April  is 
one  of  the  best  periods  of  the  year  for  the  work,  as  the 
plants  are  just  beginning  to  grow.  In  Chapter  III.  I 
gave  a  list  of  "stock"  herbaceous  plants — kinds  which 
can  be  bought  from  all  growers  at  a  moderate  cost.  Let 
me  now  name  a  few  of  special  interest,  for  the  benefit  of 
those  who  are  familiar  with  the  "old  stagers,"  and  want 
to  add  something  fresh  to  their  collections.  The  plants 
may  be  expected  to  cost  rather  more  than  the  old 
species  : 

Aconitum. — Sparks'  variety  is  a  fine  deep  blue  Monkshood. 
Adonis  Amurensis  is  a  handsome  yellow  species  from  Japan,  with 

fern-like  foliage,  flowering  in  February  and  March.     It  grows 

a  foot  high.     There  are  double  forms  of  this  fine  plant. 
Alyssum  Saxatile  Flore  Pleno  is  a  double  form  of  the  well-known 

"Gold  Dust." 
The  Dropmore  variety  of  the  well-known  Borage,  Anchusa  Italica, 

is  superior  to  the  type ;  the  flowers  have  the  rich  blue  of  the 

Gentian. 
Anemonopsis  Macrophylla  bears  drooping  Anemone-like   flowers 

in  charming  waxy  sprays  ;  they  are  white,  with  a  blush  tint.    It 

grows  about  i8  inches  high,  and  enjoys  a  shady  place  in  the 

border. 

177  M 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY    WEEK 

April         Artemisia  Lactiflora  is  a  handsome  white  Wormwood,  4  feet  high. 
I-IC  Asters  (perennial). — New  varieties  of  Michaelmas  Daisies  come  out 

annually,  and  it  is  somewhat  difficult  to  keep  pace  with  them. 
The  following  are  very  good  : 

Acris  nanus,  lilac,  only  i  foot  high. 
Amellus  Favourite,  rose,  2  feet  high. 

„       Framfieldii,  violet. 
Coombe  Fishacre,  flesh-coloured,  3^  feet  high. 
Cordifolius  Ideal,  lavender,  3^  feet  high. 
Diffusus  Horizontalis,  red  and  white,  2^  feet  high. 
Edwin  Beckett,  lavender,  4  feet  high. 
Enchantress,  blush  pink,  3  feet  high. 
Laevis  Hon.  Vicary  Gibbs,  reddish  blue,  in  sprays,  2|  feet 

high. 
Mrs.  S.  T.  Wright,  rosy  purple,  4  feet  high. 
Noviae-Angliae  Mrs.  J.  F.  Rayner,  crimson,  5  feet  high. 
Novi-Belgii  Captivation,  blush  pink,  3  feet  high. 
„         „       F.  W.  Burbidge,  heliotrope,  4  feet  high. 
„         „       Top  Sawyer,  lilac,  4  feet  high. 
„        „       White  Queen,  white,  4  feet  high. 
Vimineus  Delight,  white,  very  small  feathery  foliage,  3  feet 
high. 
A.stilbe  Chinensis  Davidii  is  a  handsome  Chinese  "  Spiraea,"  which 
has   received  a  first-class  certificate  from   the    Royal    Horti- 
cultural Society.     The  colour  is  purplish  crimson.     Height,  3 
to  4  feet. 
Aubrietia  Prichard's  Ai  is  a  fine  variety  of  coloured  Rock  Cress, 
deep  violet  in  colour.     It  is  a  useful  addition  to  our  rockwork 
and  carpeting  plants. 
Calceolaria  Golden  Glory  is  a  very  brilliant  hardy  hybrid,  which 
ought  to  prove  very  servicable  in  the  herbaceous  border  and 
in  beds. 
Campanula  ,Carpathica   White   Star  is   a  beautiful  variety  of  a 
popular  old  plant,  with  white  saucer-shaped  flowers.      Height, 
I  foot. 
Cimicifuga  Simplex  is  a  charming  Japanese  species,  bearing  white 

flowers  late  in  summer.  Height,  3  feet. 
Gerbera  Jamesoni  (the  Transvaal  or  Barberton  Daisy)  is  a  brilliant 
scarlet-flowered  plant  that  is  not  quite  hardy,  and  is  con- 
sequently grown  by  many  in  frames  or  cool  greenhouses,  but 
will  pass  the  winter  in  sheltered  places  if  the  soil  is  light  and 
ffiable.     Height,    i    foot.      It   is  a  remarkable  plant,   which 

178 


LATE  SHOWERS  &  EARLY   FLOWERS 

botanists  are  now  crossing  so  as  to  increase  the  choice  of     April 
colour.     They  have  already  attained  considerable  success.  I~I5 

Gypsophila  Paniculata  Flore  Pleno  is  a  double  variety  of  the  well- 
known  "Lace  Plant"  or  "Gauze  Flower,"  which  is  grown  a 
good  deal  for  mixing  with  cut  flowers.  The  double,  like  the 
single,  has  white  flowers,  which  do  not  fall  after  they  have  been 
cut  and  dried. 
Heloniopsis  Breviscapa  is  an    interesting   little   winter  blooming 

plant,  with  white  flowers.     It  only  grows  about  4  inches  high. 
Hepatica  Angulosa  Alba  is  a  white  form  of  an  old  favourite. 
Incarvillea  Delavayi  made  a  considerable  stir  with  its  fine  rosy  red, 
Gloxinia-like  flowers,  and  fern-like  leaves,  when  first  introduced. 
I.  Grandiflora  is  a  newer  giant  species  from  China,  with  rose 
flowers.     It  likes  a  dry,  warm  position.     Height,  2  feet. 
Iris  Sibirica  Snow  Queen  is  a  lovely  pure  white  variety  of  the 

Siberian  Iris,  and  enjoys  moist  soil.     Height,  3  feet. 
Lathyrus  Latifolius  White  Pearl  is  a  very  fine  pure  white  form  of 

the  Everlasting  Pea. 
Lavender  Munstead  Dwarf  is  an  early-blooming,  fragrant  variety 

that  grows  about  half  the  height  of  the  common  type. 
Lychnis  Grandiflora  is  a  Japanese  species,  with  salmon  flowers. 

Height,  i\  feet. 
Papaver  Orientale  Lady  Roscoe  is  a  splendid  rose-pink  variety  of 

the  Oriental  Poppy,  and  Princess  Ena,  a  nice  orange  salmon. 
Phlox  Divaricata  or  Canadensis. — There  are  two  very  fine  varieties 
— one  a  "  Plumbago"  blue,  being  called  Perry's  variety;  and 
the  other,  a  deeper  or  violet  blue,  called  Lapham's  variety. 
(Among  many  fine  varieties  of  perennial  Garden   Phlox  I  may 
name  George  A.  Strohlein,  an  enormous  orange-scarlet  flower  with  a 
deeper  eye.     Readers  who  do  not  know  what  to  choose  among  the 
older  varieties  might  note  that  the  following  have  been  selected  for 
special  notice  by  the  Royal  H-orticultural  Society  : 
Coquelicot,  orange-scarlet. 
Esclaimonde,  lilac,  white  centre. 
Etna,  glowing  orange-red. 
Eugene  Danzanvilliers,  lilac-blue,  white  centre. 
Moliere,  salmon,  rose  tint,  cerise  eye  with  white  rii)g. 
Tapis  Blanc,  dwarf  white.) 
Primrose  Evelyn  Arkwright  is  an  immense  variety,  flowers  pale 
yellow  and  fragrant,  but  several  times  as  large  as  those  of  the 
common  Primrose. 
Primula    Pulverulenta   is   a   handsome   species    from    China,    the 
179 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

April  flowers  of  which  are  borne  in  whorls  in  the  same  way  as  those 

I-I5  of  Primula  Japonica.     The  colour  is  crimson.     The  foliage  is 

slightly  mealy.     Height,  i  to  li  foot. 
Ramondia  Pyrenaica  Alba  is  a  white  form  of  a  well-known  Alpine. 

It  is  a  beautiful  plant,  and  will  thrive  in  a  shady  part  of  the 

rockery. 
Senecio  Clivorum  is  a  Chinese  species,  with  large,  loose  heads  of 

many  flowers,  borne  in  summer.      It  is  a  good  plant  for  heavy 

soil,  and  thrives  near  water. 
Stokesia  Cyanea  Praecox  and  its  white  variety,  Alba,  are  beautiful 

border   plants.      The   former  has    lavender-coloured    flowers. 

They  bloom  in  late  summer  and  autumn.     Height  i  to  ir}  foot. 
Thalictrum  Orientale  is  a  pretty  and  distinct  plant  with  glaucous 

blue  foliage  and  white  flowers  in  branching  heads.     Height, 

2  feet. 

Climbers  and  Wall  Shrubs 

There  is  no  practical  reason  why  wall  plants  should  be 
planted  later  than  Roses  or  fruit  trees — in  fact,  a  good 
reason  can  be  adduced  in  favour  of  early  planting ;  but 
it  has  grown  to  be  so  much  a  matter  of  custom  to  plant 
late  in  spring,  that  florists  grow  most  of  the  popular 
kinds  in  pots,  so  as  to  be  able  to  execute  orders  at  a 
period  when  it  is  too  late  to  shift  plants  from  the  open 
ground.  I  have  not  been  favourably  impressed  with 
many  of  the  specimens  of  pot  climbers  which  I  have 
received  from  nurserymen,  and  I  greatly  prefer  plants 
from  the  open  ground.  The  pot  theory  is  plausible 
enough,  and  answers  while  the  plants  are  young ;  but 
when  they  have  been  in  the  same  comparatively  small 
pots  two  or  three  years,  and  have  pushed  a  strong  tap- 
root, like  a  miniature  Parsnip,  through  the  bottom  of  it, 
things  are  not  so  satisfactory.  A  small  plant  with  fibrous 
roots  is  better  than  a  bigger  one  with  a  single  tap-root. 

One  can  plant  climbers  and  wall  shrubs  from  the 
open  ground  early  in  April,  but  not  much  later,  except 
in  mild,  moist  districts.  The  great  point  in  favour  of 
180 


LATE  SHOWERS   &  EARLY  FLOWERS 

early  planting  is  that  it  gives  the   plants  a  chance  of     April 
making  root  before  the  hot  weather  comes  on,  and  if  the      ^~^5 
new  fibres  get  a  good  hold  of  the  soil  before  May  the 
plant  generally  lives  and  thrives.     Let  me  indicate  a  few 
good  kinds  : 

Aristolochia  Sipho,  the  Dutchman's  Pipe,  grows 
quickly,  and  forms  large,  heart-shaped  leaves.  The 
pipe-shaped,  pendulous  flowers  are  brown  and  yellow. 
The  plant  should  have  a  warm  aspect.  It  loses  its  leaves 
in  winter. 

Buddleias  Globosa  (Orange  Ball),  Variabilis  and 
Veitchiana  have  been  referred  to  already.  The  perfumed 
lilac  flowers,  borne  in  long  cones,  of  the  last  named,  are 
beautiful  in  late  summer. 

The  Ceanothus,  or  Blue  Bush,  likes  a  south  or  west 
aspect.  Ceres  has  pale  pink,  Gloire  de  Versailles  light 
blue,  and  Marie  Simon  mauve  flowers. 

The  Winter  Sweet  (Chimonanthus  Fragrans)  likes  a 
warm  aspect.  It  blooms  in  winter,  and  its  brownish 
yellow  flowers  are  powerfully  scented.  There  is  a  larger 
variety  called  Grandiflorus.  As  winter  bloomers,  these 
plants  are  best  planted  in  autumn. 

The  Mexican  Orange-flower,  Choisya  Ternata,  is  a 
beautiful  evergreen  shrub,  flowering  late  in  spring  or 
early  in  summer.  It  likes  a  warm  aspect,  and  is  often 
grown  as  a  border  shrub  in  a  sheltered  place,  where  it 
will  produce  its  pretty,  white,  fragrant  flowers,  resembling 
Orange  blossoms,  in  profusion. 

The  Clematises  are  a  power  in  themselves.  The 
Jackmanii  section  is  the  most  popular,  and  the  varieties 
are  benefited  by  being  cut  close  to  the  ground  after 
planting,  and  by  severe  pruning.  Jackmanii,  violet ; 
Jackmanii  Alba,  white;  and  Jackmanii  Rubra,  crimson, 
are  three  beautiful  sorts  belonging  to  this  class.  The 
iSi 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

April  Virgin's  Bower,  Clematis  Flammula,  bears  fragrant  white 
^"^5  flowers  in  clusters  in  late  summer  ;  and  the  Traveller's 
Joy,  Clematis  Vitalba,  also  flowers  late.  Its  feathery  seed 
heads  are  familiar  to  country  folk  in  autumn.  Superior 
to  either  of  these  plants,  however,  is  Clematis  Montana, 
a  rapid  grower,  a  good  town  plant,  and  a  late  spring 
bloomer.  The  newer  rosy  red  variety  called  Montana 
Rubens,  a  hardy  variety  from  China,  is  likely  to  receive 
a  good  deal  of  attention  from  lovers  of  climbers  who 
appreciate  the  merits  of  the  old  Montana. 

Crataegus  Lelandii  is  a  handsome  Thorn,  the  chief 
beauty  of  which  is  the  crop  of  handsome  scarlet  berries 
which  it  carries  through  the  winter.  It  is  superior  to  the 
old  "  Pyracantha." 

The  Japanese  Quince,  Cydonia,  or  Pyrus  Japonica,  is 
doubly  handsome,  for  its  large  scarlet  flowers,  as  big  as 
Apple  blossom,  make  the  house  wall  brilliant  in  spring, 
while  its  fruits  are  beautiful  in  autumn.  This  is  a 
particularly  valuable  wall  shrub,  because  it  will  thrive  in 
most  soils  and  on  most  aspects.  The  flowering  sprays 
may  be  cut  for  room  decoration,  and  the  buds  will 
open  in  water.  The  fruit  may  be  cooked,  or  made  into 
jelly.  There  are  several  distinct  varieties,  notably  Apple 
Blossom,  pink  and  white;  Simonii,  crimson;  and  Maulei, 
terra-cotta.     The  last  named  is  suitable  for  a  low  wall. 

The  Escallonias  grow  with  great  luxuriance  in  mild, 
moist  places,  and  form  beautiful  hedges  of  shining 
foliage  and  rosy  flowers  in  some  cliff  gardens  that  I  wot 
of  overlooking  Mounts  Bay.  Macrantha  is  the  typical 
species.  Langleyensis  has  carmine,  and  Philippiana 
white  flowers.     All  are  evergreen. 

Garrya    Elliptica    is    perhaps    rather    distinct    than 
beautiful.     It  bears  long,  pendulous,  pale  green  catkins 
in  spring.     It  is  an  evergreen. 
182 


LATE  SHOWERS  &  EARLY  FLOWERS 

The  Honeysuckles  {Lonicera  of  botanists)  are  natur-  April 
ally  popular,  with  their  pretty  flowers  and  delicious  ^"^5 
perfume.  There  are  several  varieties  of  the  common 
Woodbine,  notably  Belgica,  rose  and  cream,  and 
Pallidum,  creamy  yellow ;  both  of  these  are  hardy,  and 
fragrant  to  a  degree.  They  lose  their  leaves  in  winter. 
The  Japanese  (Japonica  Flexuosa),  with  red  and  white 
perfumed  flowers,  is  an  evergreen.  There  is  a  netted- 
leaved  form  of  the  Japanese  called  Aureo  Reticulata  which 
has  yellow  in  the  foliage,  and  is  a  very  ornamental  plant. 
Fragrantissima  and  Standishi  bear  white  flowers  in 
winter. 

The  Ivies  {Hedera  of  botanists)  are  perhaps  mostly 
represented  nowadays  by  the  small-leaved,  parti-coloured 
sorts,  of  which  Chrysophylla  (Mrs.  Pollock),  Dentata 
Variegata,  and  Marginata  Robusta  are  a  good  trio.  They 
do  not  grow  so  fast  as  the  Irish  Ivy  (Canariensis),  and  if 
a  green-leaved  kind  that  will  cover  a  house  wall  quickly 
is  wanted,  the  latter  had  better  be  selected.  The  plants 
should  be  clipped  over  in  spring. 

The  most  useful  of  the  Jasmines  is  certainly  the 
yellow  winter-bloomer  Nudiflorum,  as  it  is  perfectly 
hardy.  Humile  (Revolutum)  is  both  beautiful  and  sweet, 
but  is  not  quite  hardy.  Jasmine  lovers  who  have  a 
heated  greenhouse  should  make  acquaintance  with  the 
beautiful  evergreen  winter-flowering  species  Primulinum, 
which  bears  a  profusion  of  yellow  flowers. 

The  double  yellow  Jew's  Mallow  (Kerria)  is  a  very 
useful  wall  shrub,  as  it  will  thrive  on  most  aspects,  and  is 
covered  with  double  yellow  flowers  in  summer. 

The   Everlasting    Peas    belong   to   the    same   genus 

(Lathyrus)  as  the  Sweet  Peas,  and  have  flowers  of  similar 

form,  but  scentless.     They  are  hardy  perennials,  and, 

although  scarcely  suitable  for  walls,  will  thrive  on  trellises, 

183 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY    WEEK 

April    pergolas,  and  arbours.     The  Common,  Latifolius,  and  its 

I~i5     white  variety,  Albus,  are  the  best  known  ;  but  there  are 

several   others,  notably  Delicatus,  blush-coloured,   and 

Coccineus,  crimson,  which  may  be  grown  by  those  who 

like  to  specialise  in  this  flower. 

The  Magnolias  are  perhaps  used  more  largely  for 
borders  than  for  walls,  but  Conspicua  is  a  good  wall 
plant,  and  its  white  flowers  are  fragrant. 

The  Victorian  Snow-bush,  Olearia  Stellulata  or 
Gunniana,  is  a  charming  shrub  for  a  low  wall.  It  is  an 
evergreen,  and  flowers  freely  in  summer. 

Both  the  Passion-flower  (Passiflora  caerulea)  and  the 
white  Constance  Elliott  are  beautiful  and  interesting  wall 
plants,  but  they  cannot  be  relied  upon  if  the  aspect  is 
cold,  and  ought  to  have  warm,  sheltered  places. 

The  Siik-Vine,  Periploca  Graeca,  is  a  singular  and 
interesting  flower  of  brownish  red.  It  is  hardly  worthy 
of  selection  as  a  prominent  wall  shrub,  but  may  form  one 
of  a  collection  of  plants  on  a  pergola. 

Polygonum  Baldschuanicum  is  hampered  by  a 
terribly  formidable  name,  but  British  amateurs  must 
try  and  master  it,  for  it  is  a  magnificent  plant,  hardy, 
climbing  very  rapidly,  and  bearing  a  profusion  of 
drooping  white  or  pink  sprays  of  blossom  in  summer 
and  autumn.  Those  who  see  it  in  full  beauty  on  a 
tall  framework  of  poles  in  September  will  not  readily 
forget  it. 

Roses  have  been  dealt  with  already. 

The  Flame  Nasturtium  (Tropoeolum  Speciosum)  has 
many  admirers,  many  of  whom  gaze  at  it  despondently, 
as  a  plant  which  has  baffled  them.  It  is  glorious  in 
August  and  September  where  it  thrives,  being  a  sheet  of 
vermilion.  A  hot,  dry  site  is  fatal  to  it,  and  it  is  best 
planted  in  a  place  where  the  roots  are  in  the  shade. 
184 


LATE  SHOWERS  &   EARLY  FLOWERS 

Veitch's  self-clinging  Virginian  Creeper,  Ampelopsis    April 
Veitchi  (or  Vitis  inconstans  of  botanists),  is  naturally  a      ^'^S 
great  favourite,  as  it  grows  rapidly,  covers  a  wall  with 
greenery  in  summer,  and  turns  to  a  bright  red  in  autumn. 

Wistaria  (or  Wisteria,  the  common  spelling)  Sinensis 
is  an  old  favourite.  It  is  a  slow  grower,  but  its  lilac 
racemes  are  very  beautiful  when  the  plant  has  got 
strong  enough  to  bear  freely.  There  is  a  giant-flowered 
Japanese  species  called  Multijuga,  which  can  now  be 
bought  from  florists. 

Climbers  and  shrubs  on  walls  which  now  either  fail 
completely  or  drag  out  a  miserable  existence,  owe  their 
unsatisfactory  condition  to  want  of  thoroughness  on  the 
part  of  the  planter,  in  most  cases.  He  does  not  prepare 
the  soil  well  enough,  nor  plant  early  enough.  If  the 
soil  is  poor  (and  soil  under  walls  generally  is),  some  of 
it  ought  to  be  removed  to  a  couple  of  feet  of  depth  and 
width,  and  decayed  turves  and  manure  substituted. 
Moreover,  good  soakings  of  water  should  be  given  in 
dry  weather. 

Fruit 

The  grafting  of  fruit  trees,  the  details  of  which  were 
given  in  the  last  chapter,  ought  to  be  completed  in  the 
early  part  of  April. 

Vines  will  be  starting  in  unheated  houses.  Thin 
Grapes  on  early  Vines,  when  the  fruit  has  set  and  is 
beginning  to  swell,  using  a  pair  of  long,  slender  "grape- 
scissors,"  procured  from  the  seedsman.  Begin  at  the 
bottom  of  the  bunch,  and  work  upward.  Thin  with 
judgment,  forming  an  idea  of  what  space  each  berry 
will  require  when  it  has  swollen  to  its  full  size.  Avoid 
touching  the  berries  with  the  fingers  or  hair. 

Melons  in  frames. — The  present  is  a  good  time  to 
prepare  a  frame  for  Melons.     A  bed  of  warm   stable 

185  „' 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

April  manure  and  leaves  may  be  made  up  in  the  manner 
I'  ^5  previously  advised,  and  a  mound  of  soil  a  foot  deep  put 
on  the  top,  in  the  centre.  A  plant  raised  in  a  pot  in  a 
warm  greenhouse  or  hot  bed  in  the  manner  recom- 
mended in  an  earlier  chapter,  and  with  three  or  four 
rough  leaves,  may  be  planted  out,  and  the  tip  removed 
to  encourage  side  shoots  to  form.  Superlative  is  one 
of  the  best  varieties  for  frame  culture. 

Vegetables 

Successions  of  Broad  Beans,  Peas,  Turnips,  Spinach, 
Carrots,  Onions,  Celery,  Tomatoes,  and  Leeks  may  be 
sown.     (See  previous  chapter.) 

Artichokes. — The  Globe,  Jerusalem  and  Chinese  Arti- 
chokes may  all  be  planted  now.  (See  table  in  Chapter  I. 
for  distances.) 

Planting  Asparagus. — Beds  of  this  delicious  vegetable 
may  be  made  now,  and  heads  will  be  yielded  next  spring 
if  the  "roots"  are  strong.  They  should  not  be  less  than 
two  years  old.  As  a  guide  to  size,  I  may  say  that  a 
"root"  of  which  the  fibres  form  as  large  a  mass  as  can 
be  grasped  tightly  in  one  hand,  and  six  to  nine  inches 
long,  is  a  good  one,  and  ought  to  yield  a  nice  crop  a  year 
after  planting.  It  is  worth  while  to  take  special  pains 
with  the  bed.  A  low,  damp  site  should  be  avoided,  as 
Asparagus  never  thrives  in  close,  sodden  soil.  The  soil 
should  be  drained,  so  that  no  stagnant  water  can  ever 
lie  within  two  feet  of  the  surface.  Light,  friable,  loamy 
soil  suits  the  crop  better  than  heavy,  adhesive  clay,  but 
the  Asparagus-lover  who  has  heavy  land  need  not  de- 
spair. I  have  myself  grown  very  satisfactory  crops  of 
Asparagus  on  clay,  so  that  I  know  it  is  possible.  The 
ground  should  be  dug  not  less  than  two  full  spades  deep, 
and  rich,  decayed  yard  manure  at  the  rate  of  about  three 
i86 


The  variegated  aloe-leaved  Yucca  (Yucca  aloeifolia  variegata) 
as  a  room  plant. 


LATE  SHOWERS  &  EARLY  FLOWERS 

barrow-loads  per  rod  worked  into  the  lower  spit.  I  am  April 
convinced  that  deep  breaking-up  of  the  soil  has  much  to  ^~^5 
do  with  success  in  Asparagus  growing  in  heavy  land. 
It  facilitates  the  getting  away  of  surface  water,  increases 
friability  and  aeration,  and  raises  the  level  of  the  top  or 
planting  stratum.  A  determined  grower  will  break  his 
soil  three  feet  deep,  and  deserve  applause  for  his  resolu- 
tion. When  the  work  is  done  the  ground  level  will 
stand  nearly  a  foot  higher  than  it  did  before — quite  that 
if  road  scrapings,  mortar  rubbish,  and  wood-ashes  (all 
splendid  additions  to  ground  for  Asparagus)  are  thrown 
on  to  the  surface  with  a  liberal  hand.  If  two  beds  are 
being  made  side  by  side,  a  strip  two  feet  wide  may  be 
marked  out  between  them,  and  the  soil  from  it  thrown 
on  to  the  beds,  thus  further  raising  the  level,  and  simul- 
taneously forming  a  path,  or  what  the  gardener  terms 
an  alley.  A  bed  four  feet  wide  willgive  plenty  of  room 
for  two  parallel  rows,  and  the  plants  may  be  set  in  them 
eighteen  inches  apart.  If  the  soil  is  light,  cover  them  six 
inches  deep,  if  heavy  four  inches.  It  is  prudent  to  get  the 
bed  ready  directly  the  plants  are  ordered,  instead  of 
waiting  until  the  roots  arrive.  There  is  always  danger 
of  the  roots  getting  dry,  and  if  they  do,  anything  may 
happen  ;  even  if  they  do  not  fail  altogether,  they  will  be 
very  slow  indeed  in  starting. 

Seed  of  Asparagus  may  be  sown  now  for  planting 
next  spring.  Existing  beds  of  Asparagus  may  have  a 
dressing  of  salt  at  the  rate  of  a  pound  per  square  yard. 

APRIL— Third  and  Fourth  Weeks  April 

16-30 

Flowers 

Half-hardy  Annuals. — Those  who  lack  the  facilities 
for  raising  Asters,  Ten-week  Stocks,  Marigolds,  Phlox 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY    WEEK 

April  Drummondi,  and  the  other  half-hardy  annuals  recom- 
^6-30  mended  in  previous  chapters  for  sowing  under  glass  in 
March,  may  sow  them  in  a  sheltered  place,  and  in  fine, 
moist  prepared  soil,  in  the  open  air  towards  the  end  of 
March.  The  seed  should  be  sprinkled  thinly  in  drills 
drawn  about  nine  inches  apart,  so  that  a  hoe  may  be  run 
between  them  to  keep  weeds  down.  The  plants  can  be 
transplanted  from  the  rows  to  their  flowering  quarters 
when  they  are  about  three  inches  high.  Use  freshly- 
slaked  quicklime  freely  to  keep  slugs  at  bay.  They  will 
devour  the  whole  stock  otherwise. 

Hardy  annuals  may  still  be  sown  in  beds  and  borders 
where  they  are  to  bloom. 

Begonias  and  other  seedlings  raised  in  boxes  in 
Winter,  and  which  have  been  making  slow  progress, 
may  now  be  expected  to  move  more  quickly.  Seed- 
lings should  never  be  allowed  to  remain  crowded 
together,  as  then  they  get  "  drawn  "  (that  is,  long  and 
weak  in  the  stem)  and  fail  to  make  good  plants.  The 
first  sign  of  crowding  should  be  the  signal  for  setting 
out  farther  apart  in  other  boxes,  or  singly  in  3-inch 
pots. 

Pinching  Plants. — The  gardener  gets  rallied  sometimes 
about  his  choice  of  terms.  He  often  speaks  of  "  pinch- 
ing "  plants.  What  he  means  by  that  is  removing  the 
growing  tip.  The  result  of  "  pinching "  is  to  make  a 
plant  that  is  running  up  with  a  strong  central  stem 
form  strong  side  shoots  near  the  base.  It  thus  becomes 
more  "  bushy,"  to  use  another  horticultural  term.  A 
plant  with  strong  side  branches  generally  produces 
more  flowers  than  one  with  a  central  stem  only,  so  that 
it  is  better  in  more  ways  than  one.  "  Pinching "  may 
be  practised  on  many  pot  plants  with  advantage — on 
Chrysanthemums  (except  those  grown  for  show  flowers), 
188 


LATE  SHOWERS  &  EARLY  FLOWERS 

Zonal    Geraniums,    Fuchsias,    Heliotrope,    Marguerites,     April 
and  others.     It  is  best  done  when  the  plants  are  about     IO-30 
six  inches  high,  and  may  be  repeated  (this  time  on  the 
side  shoots  which  have  resulted  from  the  first  stopping) 
if  necessary. 

Staking  plants. — This  is  another  helpful  detail.  Plants 
that  are  staked  betimes  grow  better  than  those  which 
are  left  without  support.  Florists  sell  plain  or  painted 
stakes  of  all  lengths,  and  also  green  raffia  tape  for  tying. 
Even  quite  dwarf  things  like  Mignonette  and  Rho- 
danthes,  as  well  as  all  plants  that  produce  one  or  more 
leading  shoots,  are  benefited  by  early  staking.  Where 
several  plants  are  grown  together  in  a  pot,  as  in  the 
case  of  Mignonette,  short  stakes  may  be  put  round  the 
side  of  the  pot,  and  connected  by  strands  of  tying 
material.  It  is  not  desirable  to  use  long  stakes  for  short 
plants,  otherwise  the  stick  tends  to  become  the  most 
prominent  object.  This  consideration  should  have 
weight  in  staking  herbaceous  plants,  Dahlias,  Gladioli, 
and  other  plants  in  the  garden. 

Propagating  the  Draught  Palm  {Aspidistra).  —  The 
useful,  draught-resisting  Aspidistra  forms  a  creeping 
root  stock,  and  when  increase  is  desired  an  old  plant 
may  be  turned  out  of  its  pot  and  a  sharp  knife  passed 
through  the  rhizome.  Any  fairly  strong  piece  so  severed 
will  strike  if  a  few  root  fibres  are  secured  with  it. 

Propagating Poinsettias. — Poinsettia  Pulcherrima,  with 
its  carmine-rose  bracts,  is  as  brilliant  as  any  flowering 
plant,  and  there  are  few  gardeners  who  do  not  grow  it. 
It  is  not  an  easy  plant  to  strike  from  young  shoots,  but 
portions  of  old  wood,  such  as  pieces  of  stem  with  a  bud 
or  two  on  each,  will  generally  root  at  this  time  of  the 
year  if  inserted  in  sandy  soil,  and  put  in  a  propagating 
case. 

180 


THE   GARDEN  WEEK   BY   WEEK 

April  Winter  Plants  in  Spring. — Plants  which  have  been 

10-30  used  for  winter  decoration  in  a  greenhouse  or  con- 
servatory, such  as  Zonal  Geraniums,  Bouvardias,  and 
berry-bearing  Solanums  (Winter  Cherries)  will  have 
passed  their  best  by  the  end  of  April,  and  may  be 
pruned  back  to  the  older  wood,  and  placed  in  a  warm 
house  if  wanted  for  further  use.  If  syringed  regularly, 
they  will  throw  out  fresh  shoots,  and  some  of  those  may 
be  taken  off  and  struck  as  cuttings. 

Propagating  Crotons  and  Dracaenas. — The  present  is 
a  good  period  to  make  a  slit  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
stems  of  Crotons  and  Dracaenas  which  have  grown  too 
tall,  and  bind  the  part  round  with  moss.  If  the  plants 
are  kept  in  a  warm,  moist  house  roots  will  be  emitted, 
and  the  tops  can  then  be  cut  off  and  potted. 

Propagating  India-rubber  Plants. — The  India-rubber 
Plant,  Ficus  Elastica,  can  be  propagated  in  the  same 
way  as  Crotons.  The  variegated  form  is  an  attractive 
plant. 

Room  Plants. — Plants  which  have  spent  the  winter 
in  rooms  are  likely  to  be  somewhat  worn  and  dingy 
when  spring  comes,  and  will  be  the  better  for  exposure 
to  warm  showers,  or  for  being  sprayed  regularly.  This 
will  be  especially  grateful  to  Palms,  Aspidistras,  and 
India-rubber  Plants.  Periodical  cleansing  of  the  foliage 
has  almost  as  important  a  bearing  on  the  health  of 
these  popular  foliage  plants  as  watering.  From  the 
present  time,  and  throughout  the  summer,  the  plants 
will  want  a  great  deal  more  water  than  they  have 
required  during  the  winter.  Whether  they  will  need 
it  every  day  or  not  will  depend  on  two  things — the  state 
of  the  weather,  and  the  size  of  the  pot.  In  bright,  dry 
weather,  a  supply  of  water  is  likely  to  be  called  for  every 
day ;  it  is  almost  certain  to  be  needed  if  the  plants  are 
190 


LATE  SHOWERS  &  EARLY  FLOWERS 

growing   in    small    pots,  which  are  tightly  packed  with    April 
roots.     In  case  of  doubt,  the  grower  can  always  settle     10-30 
the  point  by  rapping  the  pot,  and  noting  whether  the 
sound  emitted  is  hollow  and  ringing  (water  wanted)  or 
dull  and  heavy  (water  not  wanted). 

The  present  is  a  good  period  to  repot  room  plants 
that  need  what  gardeners  call  "  a  shift,"  Repotting  for 
the  sake  of  repotting  should  be  avoided,  because  it  is 
not  convenient  to  have  large,  heavy  pots  in  rooms  ;  but 
when  the  pots  get  very  full  of  roots  one  of  three  things 
should  be  done  :  (i)  the  plant  given  a  larger  pot ;  (2)  the 
plant  turned  out  of  the  pot,  part  of  the  ball  of  roots 
and  soil  crumbled  away,  and  the  plant  replaced  with 
fresh  soil  rammed  tightly  all  around  it ;  (3)  the  plant 
left  in  the  pot,  some  of  the  top  soil  scooped  out,  and 
a  top-dressing  of  fresh  given.  Plan  No  i  had  better  be 
adopted  if  the  soil  is  thoroughly  permeated  with,  and 
surrounded  by,  roots.  If  things  have  not  gone  quite  so 
far  as  that,  either  of  the  other  two  methods  may  be 
resorted  to — No.  2  for  preference.  Fresh  loam,  with 
about  a  quarter  of  decayed  manure  and  some  coarse 
sand,  will  form  a  suitable  compost.  While  the  plants 
are  out  of  the  pots  the  drainage  should  be  rearranged, 
one  large  crock  being  placed  over  the  hole,  smaller 
pieces  lapped  over  it,  and  the  whole  surfaced  with  moss. 
It  is  better  to  get  an  increased  quantity  of  soil  into  the 
pots  by  hard  ramming  than  by  filling  up  so  near  the  top 
that  less  than  an  inch  of  space  is  left  for  water.  The 
water  space  cannot  be  stinted  without  grave  risk  of  the 
plants  suffering  far  more  than  they  would  from  a  slight 
loss  of  soil. 

Room  plants  are   as   much   benefited   by  fresh   air 
as  human  beings,  but  they  soon  suffer  if  they  stand  in  a 
draught.   A  steady,  diffused  flow  of  air  is  the  desideratum, 
191 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

April  and  it  can  be  secured  generally  by  keeping  the 
16-30  window  open  and  the  door  shut.  Such  slight  draught 
as  is  created  by  air  flowing  from  window  to  fireplace 
is  not  likely  to  do  any  harm  except  when  the  wind  is 
flowing  strongly  from  a  cold  quarter  ;  in  such  circum- 
stances the  plants  should  be  moved  while  the  window  is 
open.  Ventilation  should  always  be  provided  when  gas 
or  a  lamp  is  burning. 

Planting  Gladioli. — The  brilliant  and  graceful  Gladi- 
olus is  one  of  the  grandest  of  late  summer  flowers,  and 
the  price  of  corms  has  been  reduced  considerably  in 
recent  years.  Everybody  cannot  afford  to  buy  the 
newest  hybrids,  but  there  are  very  few  who  cannot 
afford  mixed  corms,  and  the  varieties  are  sure  to  be 
good  if  purchased  from  a  dealer  of  repute.  The  plant 
will  succeed  on  almost  any  soil  that  is  drained,  but 
it  certainly  does  not  like  sticky  ground.  The  greatest 
obstacle  that  I  myself  have  encountered  is  not  a  degree 
of  lightness  or  heaviness  in  the  soil,  or  of  a  week  earlier 
or  later  in  planting,  but  the  onslaught  of  wireworm. 
This  exasperating  pest  has  to  be  taken  very  seriously 
when  Gladioli  are  being  planted  on  ground  from  which 
turf  has  been  recently  lifted.  It  is  quite  equal  to  spoil- 
ing a  pound's  worth  of  corms  and  the  whole  season's 
bloom.  A  Gladiolus  expert  once  told  me  that  if  I  rolled 
or  trod  my  beds  quite  hard  after  planting  ("about  as 
hard  as  a  macadam  road  "  was  the  way  in  which  he  put 
it)  wireworm  would  cease  from  troubling.  Alas  !  the 
sufferer  from  this  practice  was  not  the  wireworm,  but 
the  gardener,  whose  extra  labour  only  seemed  to  inspire 
the  wireworm  to  fresh  deeds  of  destruction.  Apterite 
or  Vaporite  should  be  worked  into  the  soil,  and  baits  of 
Potato  may  be  embedded. 

The  ground  for  Gladioli  should  be  deeply  dug.     If 
192 


LATE  SHOWERS  &  EARLY  FLOWERS 

heavy,  it  should  be  dressed  with  bone-flour  at  the  rate  of    April 
two  ounces  per  square  yard  ;  if  Hght,  with  well-decayed    16-30 
yard  manure.     The  corms  may  be  put  eighteen  inches 
apart  and  three  inches  deep. 

Fkuit 

Work  in  the  fruit  garden  and  houses  in  the  second 
half  of  April  will  be  principally  as  follows  : 
(i)  Completing  the  grafting  of  trees. 

(2)  Disbudding,  tying  down  and  stopping  Vines,  and 

thinning  Grapes.  Remember  to  close  houses 
early  in  the  afternoon  in  order  to  conserve  the 
natural  heat ;  and  also  to  "  damp  down "  the 
paths  and  borders  by  sprinkling  water  about. 

(3)  Staking  and  tying  any  trees  which  are  not  steady. 

(4)  Destroying  insects.     Black  fly  will  endeavour  to 

establish  itself  in  the  tips  of  Cherries  and 
Peaches.  Directly  any  of  the  aphides  are  seen, 
use  one  of  the  many  insecticides  sold  by  seeds- 
men for  the  purpose. 

(5)  Syringe  Peach  houses  at  the  middle  of  the  after- 

noon on  bright  days,  but  not  on  wet  ones. 
Give  as  much  air  as  is  consistent  with  avoiding 
draughts. 

(6)  Stopping  and  planting  Melons,  and  sowing  more 

seed  for  late  crops.  Canker  of  the  stems  is 
common  in  Melons,  but  can  be  avoided  by 
keeping  water  from  the  stems,  and  preventing 
the  soil  from  becoming  sodden. 

Vegetables 

Asparagus. — Complete  the  making  of  new  beds  and 
the  sowing  of  seeds. 

193  N 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK  BY   WEEK 

April         Beetroot. — A    sowing   of    the   Globe    may   be   made, 

16-30    scattering  the  seed  thinly  in  drills  drawn  a  foot  apart 

and  an  inch  deep  in  well-dug  but  unmanured  ground. 

String   some   black   thread   loosely   over    the   rows,  or 

cover  with  fish  netting,  to  keep  birds  off. 

Broccoli. — Old  plants  from  which  the  hearts  have 
been  cut  may  be  cleared  off,  and  the  ground  prepared 
for  late  Peas.  The  varieties  Late  Queen  and  Model  may 
be  sown  now  for  use  next  spring.  Seedlings  from  earlier 
sowings  may  be  thinned. 

Beans. — Dwarf  French  Kidney  Beans  may  now  be 
sown  in  rows  two  feet  apart  and  three  inches  deep. 
The  seeds  may  be  put  nine  inches  apart.  Canadian 
Wonder  is  a  good  variety. 

Cauliflowers. — The  variety  Autumn  Giant  should  be 
sown  in  drills  half  an  inch  deep  and  a  foot  apart  for 
autumn  use. 

Celery. — Plants  in  boxes  should  be  pricked  out  if 
crowded,  and  given  plenty  of  air. 

Cucumbers. — Plants  in  bearing  should  be  top-dressed 
w^ith  fresh  soil.  The  side  shoots  which  are  bearing 
fruit  should  be  "  pinched "  a  leaf  or  two  beyond  the 
fruit.     Seed  may  be  sown  for  late  crops. 

Horse  Radish. — Young  pieces  may  be  planted  now  in 
deeply  dug  soil. 

Mint. — The  present  is  a  suitable  period  for  dividing 
patches  of  Mint  that  have  got  very  thick.  The  central 
parts  may  be  thrown  away,  and  the  inside  pieces  re- 
planted in  fresh  soil. 

Onions. — Plants  that  were  raised  by  sowing  in  boxes 
under  glass  in  winter  ought  to  be  strong,  and  may  be 
planted  a  foot  apart  in  rows  eighteen  inches  asunder,  in 
deep,  rich  soil  that  is  firm  at  the  top.  Water  them 
in  unless  the  weather  is  showery,  and  do  not  be 
194 


April 


LATE  SHOWERS  &  EARLY  FLOWERS 

alarmed   if  one   or   two   leaves   fade — more  will  come 

soon.  16-30 

Peas. — Seed  may  be  sown  for  late  crops.  Gladstone 
and  Autocrat  are  good  varieties.  The  drills  should  be 
four  feet  apart  and  three  inches  deep. 

Potatoes. — Finish  planting  for  the  season.  Draw 
soil  to  exposed  tops. 

Savoys. — Sow  seed  for  winter  produce.  Drumhead  is 
a  good  variety. 

Thyme  (Lemon)  may  now  be  propagated  by  cuttings. 

The  Garden  in  April— A  Resume  April 

In  April  we  almost  complete  the  sowing  of  seeds  R^gum^ 
for  giving  flowers  and  vegetables  during  the  current 
summer  ;  we  stimulate  the  growth  of  young  plants  that 
have  sprung  from  earlier  sowings  by  hoeing  ;  and  we 
give  more  room  to  seedlings  that  are  getting  crowded  in 
boxes. 

If  our  start  for  the  year  is  made  in  April,  we  push  on 
soil  preparation  as  rapidly  as  possible,  in  order  to  be 
able  to  get  our  sowing  and  planting  done  in  the  early 
part  of  the  month. 

We  finish  planting  Roses,  and  also  pruning.  The 
weakly  sorts,  whether  grown  as  dwarfs  or  standards,  are 
pruned  hard,  the  strong  sorts  lightly.  As  regards  the 
pruning  of  climbing  Roses,  most  of  the  popular  sorts  of 
the  present  day  produce  long  rods.  The  old  ones  may 
be  removed  or  cut  back,  the  young  preserved  for 
flowering. 

Hardy  annuals  of  all  kinds  may  be  sown  in  April. 
With  the  soil  crumbly  and  moist,  germination  is  rapid. 
Sweet  Peas  may  be  sown,  and  strong  plants  that  have 
been  raised  under  glass  planted  out  in  clumps  or  rows. 
195 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

April  Where  grass  plots  are  being  made  from  seed,  sowing 

—      may  be  done  in  April  provided  the  weather  is  mild  and 
R6sum6   still,  but  it  is  unwise  to  sow  in  cold  or  windy  weather. 

The  planting  of  the  herbaceous  border  and  rockery 
may  be  completed.  Those  who  have  collections  of 
representative  plants  may  like  to  consider  adding  modern 
varieties,  in  order  to  add  fresh  interest. 

Gladioli  may  be  planted,  and  measures  taken  to 
repress  wireworm,  which  is  very  destructive  to  this 
beautiful  plant. 

Most  of  the  principal  climbers  and  small  shrubs  may 
be  planted,  and  the  earlier  it  is  done  the  better.  The 
soil  should  be  well  prepared. 

Half-hardy  annuals  may  be  sown  out  of  doors  in  the 
latter  half  of  the  month  if  the  weather  is  fine. 

With  respect  to  indoor  plants,  the  lovely  winter- 
flowering  Begonia  Gloire  de  Lorraine  may  be  propa- 
gated by  cuttings,  and  seedling  tuberous  Begonias  and 
other  small  seedlings  pricked  off.  Cinerarias  may  be 
sown  for  the  following  winter's  bloom.  Fuchsias  may 
be  started  into  growth,  and  propagated  by  cuttings. 

Young  plants  of  various  kinds  may  be  pinched  in 
order  to  make  them  bushy,  and  staked  if  necessary. 
Poinsettias  may  be  propagated  by  pieces  of  the  old  stem, 
Aspidistras  by  portions  of  the  creeping  root,  and  Crotons, 
Dracaenas  and  India-rubber  plants  by  "mossing"  the 
stems. 

Room  plants  may  be  cleansed  by  sponging,  and  re- 
potted. 

The  grafting  of  fruit  trees  should  be  completed. 

Vines  must  be  ventilated,  tied,  and  stopped.  Early 
Grapes  must  be  thinned. 

A  frame  may  be  prepared  for  Melons,  and  seeds 
sown. 

196 


LATE  SHOWERS  &  EARLY   FLOWERS 

Insects  must  be  destroyed  directly  they  show.  April 

As  regards  vegetables,  seeds  may  be  sown  of  nearly      

all  the  most  important  kinds,  including  Peas  and  Beans.  Resumd 
Potatoes  may  be  planted.      Young  Celery  and  Tomatoes 
should  be  pricked  off.     Artichokes  of  all  kinds  may  be 
planted, 

April  is  a  good  month  for  making  an  Asparagus  bed^ 
and  for  planting  roots  and  sowing  seeds  of  this  delicious 
vegetable. 

Beetroot  and  Dwarf  French  Beans  may  be  sown 
towards  the  end  of  the  month  ;  also  late  Broccoli,  Cauli- 
flowers, and  Savoys. 

Cucumbers  may  be   top-dressed  and  fruiting   plants 
pruned. 

Horse  Radish  may  be  planted,  and  Mint  divided. 

Onions  raised  under  glass  in  winter  may  be  planted 
out. 


197 


CHAPTER   V 

MAY  MORNS 

May  It  has  been  my  endeavour  to  prepare  the  reader  gently 
for  certain  little  trials  in  gardening.  I  have  let  fall  words 
of  warning  about  insects  and  fungi — about  slugs  and 
aphides,  mildew  and  caterpillars.  The  fact  that  nature 
puts  certain  obstacles  in  the  path  of  the  amateur  must  be 
made  known,  but  not  with  violence.  The  spring  days 
are  fair,  the  flowers  are  sweet,  the  long  nights  are  full  of 
soft  lights,  why  speak  of  troubles  in  so  unguarded  a  way 
as  to  give  an  exaggerated  idea  of  their  terrors  ? 

When  in  the  fragrant,  blowy  May  morns  the  amateur 
sees  the  trail  of  the  slug  among  his  seedlings,  when 
zigzags  of  mounds  all  over  his  lawn  show  that  moles 
have  been  at  work,  is  he  going  to  taste  deeply  of  the  iron 
of  sorrow  ?  No,  he  is  going  to  find  compensation  in 
the  brilliant  cups  of  his  Tulips,  in  the  rosy  sheets  of  his 
fruit  blossom,  in  the  sight  of  sturdy,  purple  Asparagus 
shoots  and  the  tender  tint  of  young  Peas. 

May  is  a  month  of  development.  The  green  of  the 
lawn  is  as  soft  as  that  of  the  Larches.  The  little 
Stocks,  and  Phloxes,  and  Asters,  and  Lettuces  are 
moving  rapidly.  There  is  joyful  promise  of  a  happy 
gardening  year.  Early  morning  in  the  garden  is  a 
time  of  dehcious,  invigorating  air,  of  sweet  smells,  of 
charming  glimpses  of  ruddy  tints  in  beds  of  Paeonies 
and  Tea  Roses.  We  rise  with  the  lark,  and  go  forth 
198 


MAY   MORNS 

with  lightness  of  heart,  with  teeming  hopefulness.     We      May 
have  laboured,  and  we  begin  to  see  some  result  from  our 
work.    There  have  been  gloomy  days,  and  irksome  tasks ; 
but  now  there  is  sunshine,  and  young  leaves,  and  blossom. 

It  is  my  heartfelt  wish  that  the  amateur  should  drink 
deeply  of  May's  garden  joys.  They  are  abundant,  they 
are  rich.  They  hearten  him  not  only  for  garden  en- 
joyments, but  for  the  stern  labours  of  life.  I  do  not, 
however,  want  him  to  join  the  Lotus-eaters.  I  do  not  wish 
to  see  complacency  steal  too  deeply  into  his  being,  and 
tell  him  that  he  may  now  rest  content,  for  all  has  been 
done  that  need  be  done.  The  attitude  which  I  want  him 
to  assume  is  that  of  the  Marathon  runner  who,  having 
breasted  the  hills,  forced  his  way  through  the  brake,  and 
found  himself  at  last  on  the  level  track  which  leads  to 
the  goal,  braces  himself,  lengthens  his  stride,  and 
resolutely  makes  good  speed  for  home.  Perhaps  an 
unsuspected  obstacle  obtrudes  itself ;  the  runner  is  sur- 
prised, but  not  dismayed.  After  all,  the  hills  and  the 
brake  are  behind  him — what  is  an  odd  ditch  or  fence  ? 

The  full  garden  is  the  slug's  opportunity.  He  comes 
forth  ravenous.  And  the  green  aphis  comes,  and  the 
American  blight,  and  the  Bean  dolphin,  and  the  mole, 
and  the  evening  rabbit,  and — yes,  he  always — the 
sparrow.  Amongst  them  they  will  bring  all  our  labours 
to  naught  if  we  let  them.  Let  us  relax  our  vigilance  but 
for  a  week,  let  us  indulge  our  complacency  for  however 
short  a  time,  and  an  evil  hand  lays  hold  upon  the 
garden.  We  will  not  cease  our  efforts.  The  ball  is  at 
our  feet,  and  we  will  play  it  with  all  the  vigour  and  the 
skill  that  are  in  us.  Blithely,  cheerily,  we  will  make 
head  against  our  garden  foes.  Our  plants  must  live, 
that  is  the  great  fact,  and  so  their  enemies  must  be 
worried  and  harried  unceasingly. 
199 


May 
I-I5 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

MAY— First  and  Second  Weeks 

May  is  "  bedding-out  month  "  in  the  garden,  and  in 
mild  districts  tender  plants  are  put  out  during  the  first 
half  of  the  month.  The  bedding  system  still  keeps  its 
grip  on  public  gardens,  and  with  the  advent  of  May  the 
superintendents  clear  their  bulb  beds  in  order  to  prepare 
the  soil  for  fresh  plants.  Window  gardens,  too,  change 
their  garments.  Seedling  plants  sown  out  of  doors  are 
thinned. 

There  is  not  much  to  do  among  outdoor  fruits,  but 
indoor  fruit  demands  constant  attention. 

Seedling  vegetables  are  thinned,  and  a  few  late 
sowings  are  made. 

Window  Gardening 

Window  Boxes. — The  duration  of  the  spring  display 
depends  upon  the  kinds  put  in  during  autumn.  If  they 
were  all  bulbs,  they  will  be  over  now ;  if  Wallflowers 
and  Primroses  were  included,  they  may  still  be  bright. 
I  do  not  suggest  the  hasty  dismantling  of  a  window  box 
early  in  May,  because  the  end  of  the  month  is  time 
enough  to  replant  for  summer.  But  brown  Hyacinth 
spikes,  and  Tulips  with  only  one  draggled  petal  left,  are 
not  beautiful.  If  the  boxes  contain  nothing  better  than 
these,  they  may  as  well  be  overhauled  at  once.  The 
bulbs  may  be  transferred  to  a  remote  place  in  the  garden, 
the  flower  stems  removed,  and  the  bulbs  covered  with 
soil.  The  soil  had  better  be  removed,  and  the  drainage 
rearranged.  If  the  soil  was  fresh  in  autumn,  it  would  do 
again,  but  it  is  wise  to  add  some  fresh,  and  to  mix  all 
well  together.  If  a  compost  is  being  prepared,  let  the 
greater  part  of  it  be  fibrous  loam  :   a  quarter  of  leaf 


MAY   MORNS 

mould   and   a   tenth   of    sand   are    the    only   additions      May 
necessary.  ^"^5 

The  regulation  Zonal  Geranium  and  Marguerite  box 
is  not  bad  ;  it  is  bright  from  the  outset,  and  it  tends  to 
improve  with  time ;  but  some  may  like  to  introduce  less 
common  plants.  The  drooping  white  Campanula  (Iso- 
phylla  Alba)  looks  very  nice  mixed  with  crimson  and 
yellow  plumed  Celosias.  These  are  plants  of  the  Cocks- 
comb class,  but  have  not  the  pompous  and  flunkeyfied 
stiffness  of  the  Cockscomb.  Fuchsias  associated  with 
white  Asters  look  very  nice,  and  rambling  Tropoeolums 
or  Ivy-leaved  Geraniums  may  be  introduced  to  prevent 
any  suspicion  of  stiffness. 

Plants  in  Room  Windows. — The  feathery  white  Spiraea 
(to  modern  botanists  Astilbe)  Japonica  looks  very  well 
in  windows  in  spring.  It  is  a  very  thirsty  plant,  and 
must  have  abundance  of  water.  One  sometimes  sees 
what  florists  call  show  and  fancy  Pelargoniums  in 
windows.  They  are  near  relatives  of  the  Zonal 
Geranium,  but  the  leaves  are  wholly  green,  and  generally 
somewhat  incurved.  The  relationship  can  be  seen  in 
the  flowers,  which  are  very  richly  marked,  and  are  born 
freely.  Triomphe  de  St.  Mand6,  very  large  crimson,  is 
one  of  the  best.  H.  J.  Jones,  rose,  with  white  eye  and 
crimson  blotch,  is  also  good.  The  Bride,  white  with 
marone  upper  petals,  is  one  of  the  best  of  the  lighter 
varieties.  If  the  plants  are  shaded  during  the  hottest 
part  of  the  day,  the  flowers  will  last  longer  than  if  fully 
exposed  to  the  sun.  Azaleas  are  often  grown  in  windows, 
and  they  also  will  be  benefited  by  careful  shading  and 
watering.  They  are  brilliant  plants,  which  can  be 
bought  from  nurserymen  and  bulb-dealers,  well  set  with 
flower  buds.  It  is  a  good  time  to  repot  such  foliage 
plants  as  Aralia  Sieboldii  and   the  India-rubber  Plant. 

20I 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

May      Continue  sponging  the  leaves   of  Palms,  and   watering 

I""I5      judiciously. 

Primulas  for  next  Winter. — Fringed  Primulas  are 
great  favourites  for  flowering  in  heated  greenhouses 
and  conservatories  in  winter,  and  now  is  the  time  to 
sow  seed.  The  seedsman  sells  them  under  the  name  of 
Primula  Sinensis,  or  Chinese  Primrose,  and  he  may  offer 
them  in  separate  colours  (even  under  distinctive  names) 
as  well  as  in  mixture.  The  pretty  Primula  Obconica 
may  also  be  sown  now  for  blooming  next  winter.  The 
suggestions  for  sowing  choice  seeds  in  Chapter  I.  may 
be  applied  to  Primulas. 

Water  Lilies. — Early  May  is  a  very  good  time  for 
planting  aquatics,  such  as  Nymphaeas,  Water  Haw 
thorn  (Aponogeton)  and  Water  Violet  (Hottonia).  The 
Nymphaeas  (Water  Lilies)  are  much  the  most  important, 
and  those  who  have  no  pond  may  make  a  cemented 
pool,  or  even  grow  the  plants  in  tubs.  The  Sweet  White 
Water  Lily  (Odorata)  is  charming,  and  Chromatella, 
yellow,  is  likewise  a  great  favourite.  For  deep  water 
the  common  Nymphaea  Alba  had  better  be  chosen,  and 
there  is  no  difficulty  in  sinking  it.  The  roots  and  soil 
can  be  tied  into  bundles,  weighted  with  heavy  stones, 
and  thrown  into  the  water.  Where  a  pool  is  being  made, 
a  few  inches  of  good  loam  should  be  put  on  the  bottom, 
and  the  Water  Lilies  planted  in  it  before  the  water  is  run 
in.  Thirty  inches  is  a  suitable  depth  for  all  the  best 
forms  of  hardy  Water  Lily. 

Coleuses. — These  plants  enjoy  considerable  favour  for 
conservatory  decoration  on  account  of  the  brilliant 
colour  of  their  leaves.  If  seed  was  sown  a  few  weeks 
ago,  or  cuttings  inserted,  in  accordance  with  hints  given, 
there  will  now  be  a  supply  of  young  plants  available 
Give  them  separate  pots  now,  good  soil,  and  warmth,  in 

202 


The  pretty  greenhouse  Primula,  obconica,  a  very  useful 

plant,  but  one  which  sometimes  causes  sores  on  the  skin 

of  those  who  handle  it  ungloved. 


Dicision  o5  Horticuliiur. 
N.  C.  Bep't  of  Agrioiilture, 


MAY   MORNS 

order  to  encourage  growth.  They  ought  to  have  a  light  May 
position,  because  that  conduces  to  high  colours  in  the  I~I5 
foliage. 

Bouvardias. — A  previous  reference  was  made  to  these 
beautiful  winter-flowering  plants,  which  have  agreeable 
perfume,  as  well  as  bright  colours  and  profuse  bloom,  to 
recommend  them.  Those  that  were  cut  back  after 
flowering  will  now  be  starting  afresh,  and  may  be  re- 
potted in  fresh  soil,  reducing  the  ball  so  that  the  plants 
will  go  back  into  the  same  size  or  even  into  a  size  smaller 
pots.  It  is  well  to  keep  them  shaded  and  syringed  for  a 
few  days  after  repotting,  but  when  they  have  fairly 
started  growing  they  may  go  into  a  cold  frame.  Presi- 
dent Cleveland,  scarlet ;  Priory  Beauty,  pink ;  and  Alfred 
Neuner,  double  white,  are  three  good  sorts. 

Berry-bearing  Solanums. — These  may  be  treated  the 
same  as  Bouvardias,  with  the  possible  exception  of 
planting  them  in  the  garden  for  the  summer  instead  of 
repotting  them  and  growing  them  in  frames.  The 
outdoor  system  suits  them  quite  well. 

Hardy  Ferns. — Many  British  and  other  hardy  Ferns 
begin  growing  towards  the  end  of  April  or  early  in  May, 
and  the  uncoiling  of  the  fronds  may  be  taken  as  the 
signal  for  planting.  Peat  and  loam  in  equal  parts  suit 
them. 

Planting  Chrysanthemums. — Young  Chrysanthemums, 
whether  raised  at  home  or  bought  from  a  florist,  may  be 
planted  now.  They  may  either  be  put  direct  into  the 
places  where  they  are  to  flower,  or  planted  a  yard  apart 
in  a  reserve  bed,  and  lifted  as  they  show  bud.  When 
plants  are  being  bought,  the  purchaser  should  make  a 
point  of  choosing  both  early  and  late  varieties,  so  that 
he  may  get  a  succession  of  bloom.  The  following  are 
good  : — 

203 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 


May 
1-15 

Early 

Mcdiutn 

Late 

Horace  Martin, 

Carrie,  yellow 

Bronze      Edith      Pag- 

yellow 

Gertie,  pink 

ram  (s.) 

Madame  Desgranges, 

Goacher's  Crimson 

Edith  Pagram,  pink  (s.) 

white 

Market  White 

Flame,  crimson 

Orange  Marie  Masse 

(s)  =  singles 

Dahlias. — May  and  June  are  the  months  for  planting 
Dahlias.  There  is  no  need  to  hurry  them  into  the 
ground  early  in  May  if  the  position  is  a  cold  one,  as 
there  is  such  a  thing  as  a  May  frost  ;  in  case  of  doubt 
the  grower  should  be  on  the  safe  side,  and  defer  planting 
till  the  end  of  the  month.  But  he  may  at  least  prepare  his 
ground  now,  by  digging  it  two  feet  deep  and  manuring  it 
liberally.  Likewise,  he  may  order  his  plants,  and  stakes 
for  supporting  them.     The  following  are  good  : — 


Dainty,  pink,  primrose  centre 
Harbour  light,  orange 
Harold  Peerman,  yellow 


Cactus  Dahlias 

Ivernia,  salmon  fawn 
Radium,  orange,  suffused  rose 
Ruby  Grinsted,  yellow  and  fawn 


Court  Dahlias 

Blush  Gem,  white,  mauve  tip       Mrs.  Gladstone,  blush 
Crimson  King,  red  Queen  of  the  Belgians,  cream 

John  Walker,  white  R.  T.  Rawlings,  yellow 

Fancv  Dahlias 


Comedian,  crimson  and  yellow 
Gaiety,  yellow,  red  and  white 


M.  Campbell,  buff  and  crimson 
Novelty,  rose  and  purple 


Columbine,  rose 
Leslie  Seale,  lilac 


Single  Dahlias 

Miss  Roberts,  yellow 
The  Bride,  white 


Bacchus,  crimson 
Guiding  Star,  white 


Pompon  Dahlias 

Nerissa,  rose  and  white 
Sunny  Daybreak,  apricot 
204 


MAY   MORNS 

Herbaceous  and  Rock  Plants. — The  choicest  kinds  of  May 
herbaceous  and  rock  plants  are  grown  in  pots  by  I~I5 
nurserymen,  mainly  with  the  object  of  being  able  to 
meet  orders  at  a  season  when  the  plants  could  not  be 
taken  up  safely  from  the  open  ground.  This  being  so, 
it  is  still  possible  to  plant  perennials,  but  the  sooner  it  is 
done  the  better. 

Lenten  Roses. — These  Hellebores  are  closely  related 
to  the  Christmas  Roses,  but  the  majority  have  coloured 
flowers.  Any  opportunity  that  presents  itself  of  seeing 
the  plants  in  bloom  should  be  taken  advantage  of  to  take 
notes  of  the  best  varieties,  which  may  be  planted  in 
shady  places  in  September.  Meanwhile,  I  may  note  the 
following  as  charming  sorts  : — 

Caucasicus  Albus,  cream  Frau  Irene  Heinemann,  purple, 

„         Lutescens,  light  yellow     spotted 

Gertrude  Jekyll,  white 

Fruit 

Grapes. — Grape  Vines  will  be  in  various  stages, 
according  to  whether  they  were  started  in  January, 
February,  or  March.  Those  which  are  swelling  up 
their  crop  will  not  require  a  great  deal  of  manipulation, 
as  the  tying  down  of  the  laterals,  and  the  thinning  of 
the  berries,  will  both  have  been  completed.  Some 
stopping  may  be  needed,  however.  As  a  rule,  the 
ends  of  the  fruit-bearing  shoots  ("  laterals  ")  are  pinched 
off  at  the  second  leaf  beyond  the  bunch  of  fruit,  but 
it  depends  upon  the  amount  of  room  that  there  is  for 
extension.  Overcrowding  through  the  laterals  of  one 
Vine  running  into  those  of  its  neighbour  must  be 
repressed.  When  sub-laterals  start  as  a  result  of  the 
stopping  of  the  fruiting  shoots,  they  should  be  pinched 
205 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 

May  at  the  first  leaf,  unless  there  is  plenty  of  room  for 
l~^5  them,  in  which  case  they  may  be  allowed  to  extend 
a  little.  The  vinery  should  be  closed  about  3  p.m.  and 
well  syringed.  This  will  provide  a  moist,  warm  atmos- 
phere. The  ventilators  should  be  opened  early  in  the 
morning.  Later  Vines  should  be  tied  and  stopped,  and 
have  the  bunches  thinned,  in  accordance  with  previous 
directions.  Tap  the  rods  or  use  the  camel-hair  brush 
in  order  to  spread  the  pollen  of  Grapes  which  are  in 
bloom.  Alnwick  Seedling  is  a  shy  setter,  and  the  brush 
may  be  used  on  it. 

Melons. — Early  plants  will  be  swelling  their  fruits. 
Four  are  enough  for  each,  and  six  should  never  be 
exceeded.  Liquid  manure  will  help  the  plants.  It  may 
be  made  by  soaking  sheep  droppings  or  other  manure  in 
water,  by  mixing  an  ounce  of  superphosphate  in  a  gallon 
of  water,  or  by  purchasing  the  advertised  proprietary 
fertilisers.  Later  plants  will  be  in  flower,  and  the 
camel-hair  brush  may  be  passed  across  the  blossoms 
about  the  middle  of  a  sunny  day  in  order  to  assist 
fertilisation.  Young  plants  may  be  top-dressed  when 
the  roots  show  at  the  top  of  the  mounds. 

Peaches  will  now  have  set  their  fruit  and  stoned. 
While  the  fruit  is  stoning  swelling  ceases  temporarily. 
Overcropping  should  be  guarded  against.  Not  more 
than  two  fruits  should  be  allowed  on  each  shoot,  one 
only  being  permitted  if  the  trees  are  weak.  Young 
shoots  are  now  growing.  Only  enough  should  be  kept 
to  provide  sufficient  fruiting  wood  for  the  following 
year ;  and  any  shoots  which  it  is  plain  would  cause 
overcrowding  if  allowed  to  develop  should  be  removed. 

Strawberries. — Plants  which  were  forced   earlier   in 
the  year  may  now  have  been  cleared  of  fruit,  and  may 
be  turned  out  of  their  pots  and  planted  in  the  garden, 
206 


MAY   MORNS 

May 
where  they  will  yield  runners  for  propagation,  and  even      j^_jl 

a  little  fruit  late  in  the   season.     Hoe   between  young 

plants  in  outdoor  beds,  and  cut  off  runners  as  fast  as 

they  form.     This  will  encourage  growth,  and  the  plants 

will  quickly  become  strong. 

Spraying  Outdoor  Fruit    Trees  for   Caterpillars   and 

Grubs. — The    earlier    kinds    of   outdoor   fruit,    such    as 

Cherries,  Plums,  and  Pears,  may  now  be  in  bloom  ;  and 

the  Apples  will  soon  follow  them.     The  bursting  of  the 

fruit   buds   adds   great   charm    to  the  garden,  for  fruit 

blossom  is  very  beautiful.     But  it  may  be  accompanied 

by  the  appearance  of  caterpillars,  such  as  those  of  the 

Winter,  Lackey,  and  Small  Ermine  moths,  which  feed 

on  the  blossoms  and  leaves,  and  in  some  cases  ruin  the 

crop.      The   Codhn   grub   has   also    to    be   taken   into 

account.     This  pest  eats  its  way  into  the  fruit  directly 

it  has   formed,  and  causes  it  to  fall   before   it  is  half 

grown.     Perhaps   the   best   remedy  for  all  these  pests 

is  Swift's   arsenate   paste,  mixed   in   water   at   the   rate 

of  half  an  ounce  per  gallon,  and  sprayed  on  in  a  very 

line  state  a  few  days  after  the  blossom  has  fallen.     In 

the  case  of  grass  orchards  the  animals  should  be  removed 

for  about  three  weeks. 


Vegetables 

Kidney  Beans. — In  mild,  sheltered  places  Scarlet 
Runner,  as  well  as  French  dwarf  Kidney  Beans,  may 
be  sown.  Ne  Plus  Ultra,  Kentish  Invicta,  Best  of  All, 
and  Scarlet  Emperor  are  all  good  varieties  of  Runner, 
and  any  of  them  would  give  satisfaction.  The  seed 
should  be  sown  nine  inches  apart  and  three  inches  deep, 
in  rich  soil  that  has  been  dug  two  feet  deep.  If  there 
are  two  parallel  rows,  let  them  be  at  least  six  feet  apart. 
207 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

May     As  before  stated,  Canadian  Wonder  is  one  of  the  best 
^~^S      sorts  of  dwarf  Beans.    Both  plants  like  a  sunny  position, 
and  deep,  moist  soil. 

Beetroot. — The  main  crop  of  Beetroot  may  be  sown 
now,  the  seed  being  sprinkled  very  thinly  in  drills  drawn 
not  less  than  a  foot  apart,  and  the  plants  eventually 
thinned  to  nine  inches  asunder.  Or  two  or  three  seeds 
may  be  dropped  in  the  drills  in  clumps  nine  inches 
apart,  and  the  plants  thinned  to  one  eventually.  The 
soil  should  be  deeply  dug,  but  not  manured.  Do  not 
forget  to  string  loose  black  thread,  or  to  fix  fish  netting 
or  scares,  over  the  bed  when  the  seedlings  show,  or  the 
birds  will  pull  them  out.  Dell's  Crimson,  Middleton 
Park  Favourite,  Cheltenham  Green-top,  and  Blood  Red 
afford  a  good  choice  of  sorts.     All  are  good. 

Asparagus. — Heads  will  begin  to  push  freely  early 
in  May.  They  will  vary  in  thickness  from  that  of  a 
cigarette  to  that  of  one's  thumb.  It  is  best  to  leave  the 
thin  shoots,  as  they  are  not  very  satisfying  on  the  table, 
and  they  do  good  service  on  the  plants,  strengthening 
the  crowns  and  root  stocks.  Heads  as  thick  as  the  little 
finger,  or  larger,  may  be  cut  when  they  have  pushed 
about  three  inches  above  the  soil.  The  knife  should  be 
pressed  two  inches  into  the  earth  so  as  to  get  a  portion 
of  the  lower  part  of  the  stem.  This  will  be  white  and 
hard,  unless  special  methods  of  cooking  are  resorted  to, 
but  even  if  only  the  upper  half  is  eaten  the  Asparagus 
is  best  cut  fairly  long,  as  a  portion  of  stem  is  wanted  to 
handle  it  by.     The  bed  should  be  kept  clean  of  weeds. 

Tomatoes. — Late-sown  plants  in  seed  pans  or  boxes 
should  be  potted  or  put  a  few  inches  apart  in  deeper 
boxes.  Harden  them  in  frames,  so  that  they  will  be 
ready  for  planting  out  at  the  end  of  the  month.  Give 
them  abundance  of  air.  Early  plants  which  are  coming 
208 


MAY   MORNS 

into   bearing   may   be   stimulated   with  liquid   manure.      May 
(See  under  Melons,  p.  206.)  I-15 

Lettuces. — Thin  seedlings,  and  plant  the  biggest  ones 
out  a  foot  apart.    Sow  more  seed  for  successional  crops. 

Winter  Greens. — Broccoli,  Brussels  Sprouts,  and  other 
winter  Greens  should  be  thinned.  A  last  sowing  of 
Broccoli,  such  as  the  variety  Late  Queen,  may  be  made. 
Savoys  and  Scotch  Kale  may  also  be  sown. 

Peas. — Succession  rows  may  be  sown,  using  an 
approved  variety,  such  as  Autocrat,  Gladstone,  or  Late 
Queen. 

MAY— Third  and  Fourth  Weeks  j^ay 

For   those  who   practise  "  bedding  out,"  the  latter     I0~3I 
part  of   May  will  be  a  busy  time.     It  is  also  a  good 
period  for  sowing  biennials  for  blooming  the  following 
year.     Thinning  and  staking  need  attention. 

Flowers 

Bedding  Out. — I  have  already  said  that  the  bedding- 
out  system  is  still  flourishing,  and  it  has  its  advocates 
among  gardeners  who  like  to  arrange  their  beds  for  two 
separate  seasons — in  autumn  with  bulbs,  Wallflowers 
and  Primroses  for  spring,  in  May  with  Geraniums, 
Begonias  and  other  plants  for  summer  and  autumn. 
Let  us  glance  at  a  few  popular  plants  which  may  be 
used  for  bedding.  The  dwarf  blue  Ageratum  is  bright 
and  a  persistent  bloomer.  We  saw  how  it  could  be 
raised  from  seed  in  an  earlier  chapter.  Antirrhinums 
(Snapdragons)  are  among  the  very  best  of  bedding 
plants,  and,  as  we  have  already  seen,  will  bloom  in 
summer  from  seed  sown  the  same  year  if  raised  in  winter. 
They  remain  in  bloom  as  long  as  Zonal  Geraniums,  and 
209  O 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

May  will  thrive  in  almost  any  soil,  and  under  any  weather 
16-31  conditions.  China  or  annual  Asters  are  extremely 
valuable  for  late  blooming,  and  make  beautiful  beds. 
Tuberous  Begonias  are  splendid  in  wet  summers,  but 
are  only  a  real  success  in  dry  ones  when  grown  in  deep, 
holding  soil;  unless,  indeed,  regular  watering,  liquid 
manuring,  and  mulching  are  resorted  to.  At  their  best 
they  are  glorious,  and,  given  freedom  from  sharp  frost, 
they  are  never  liner  than  in  October.  We  have  seen 
that  plants  can  be  raised  from  seed  in  winter,  but  that 
if  early-blooming  plants  are  wanted  it  is  necessary  to 
start  tubers  in  spring.  Shrubby  Calceolarias  are  mainly 
used  as  edgings,  owing  to  their  low  growth.  The  old 
yellow  is  very  bright,  but  the  newer  one.  Golden  Glory, 
is  a  much  finer  plant.  Cannas  make  handsome  beds  in 
deep,  rich  soil,  but  they  are  not  a  great  success  in  poor 
ground.  Their  leaves  are  handsome,  and  the  spikes  of 
bloom  are  not  only  large  but  very  brilliantly  coloured. 
The  plumed  Celosias  are  useful  for  dotting  amongst 
dwarfer  plants.  They  have  tall,  feathery  plumes  of 
crimson  or  yellow. 

Other  plants  that  may  be  mentioned  as  useful  for 
dotting  are  Abutilon  Vexillarium,  Fuchsias,  Salpiglossis, 
Tobaccos  (Nicotianas),  and  Grevillea  Robusta.  Cen- 
taurea  Candidissima  and  Cineraria  Maritima  are  low, 
silvery-leaved  plants  that  are  sometimes  used  in  bedding. 
Dianthus  Heddewigii,  the  Japanese  Pink,  makes  pretty 
low  beds,  and,  as  we  have  seen,  blooms  early  in  summer 
if  seed  is  sown  under  glass  in  winter.  Of  the  Zonal 
Geraniums  there  are  varieties  grown  mainly  for  their 
flowers,  such  as  the  splendid  reds  Paul  Crampel  and 
Henry  Jacoby  ;  and  others  cultivated  for  their  prettily- 
marked  foliage,  such  as  Mrs.  Pollock,  Flower  of  Spring, 
and  Henry  Cox.     A  silvery-leaved  Geranium  looks  well 


MAY   MORNS 

in  a  bed  when  mixed  with  a  blue  Viola,  and  "  dotted  "  May 
with  Heliotrope.  This  fragrant  old  favourite  can  be  had  10-31 
in  either  light  or  dark  blue,  Swanley  Giant  is  a  very 
fine  variety.  Lantanas  resemble  Heliotrope  in  the  form 
of  the  flower,  but  the  prevailing  colours  are  scarlet, 
orange,  and  yellow.  They  bloom  long  and  profusely. 
Lobelias  may  be  used  as  edgings  if  varieties  of  the  dwarf 
blue  Erinus  or  Speciosa  ;  or  as  major  plants  if  varieties 
of  Cardinalis  or  Fulgens.  There  is  the  greatest  possible 
difference  between  the  two  classes  of  Lobelia,  the  one 
growing  only  four  or  five  inches  high,  and  producing 
a  dense  mass  of  little  blue  flowers ;  the  other  throwing 
up  stems  two  feet  high,  and  having  large,  flatfish,  scarlet 
flowers.  Marigolds  are  not  so  largely  grown  as  they 
used  to  be,  perhaps.  The  African  is  very  showy, 
whether  lemon  or  orange  in  colour.  Mimuluses 
(Monkey  Flowers)  are  close  relatives  of  the  Musk,  but 
have  much  longer  and  more  richly-marked  flowers. 
They  are  particularly  useful  in  shady  places,  which 
they  enjoy.  Both  the  white  Tobacco  (Nicotiana  Affinis) 
and  the  coloured  (N.  Sanderae)  may  be  used  in  beds, 
and  if  planted  thinly  they  make  useful  "dot"  plants 
among  dwarf  China  Asters.  Pansies  make  pretty  low 
beds  where  the  situation  is  cool  and  the  soil  moist ;  but 
they  do  not  give  of  their  best  in  poor,  dry  soil.  They 
should  receive  good  soakings  of  water  in  dry  weather, 
followed  by  liberal  doses  of  liquid  manure;  and  fading 
flowers  should  be  regularly  picked  off.  These  attentions 
will  have  a  great  bearing  on  their  progress.  Pent- 
stemons  have  made  considerable  progress  during  recent 
years.  They  are  as  graceful  as  Gladioh,  with  their  long, 
arching  stems,  laden  with  beautiful,  well-shaped  flowers 
of  various  colours.  As  we  see  in  a  later  chapter,  they 
are  best  propagated  by  cuttings  in  autumn,  and  this  plan 
211 


THE   GARDEN    WEEK   BY    WEEK 

May    is  essential  if  particular  varieties  are  to  be  kept  true. 

10-31  But  mixed  strains  can  be  raised  from  seed  in  winter, 
like  Snapdragons,  and  flowered  the  same  year.  A  bed 
of  Pentstemons  with  a  broad  band  of  dwarf  Asters  is 
delightful  in  late  summer  and  early  autumn.  Petunias 
are  old  favourites,  and  reference  has  already  been  made 
to  raising  them  from  seed  in  late  winter  or  spring. 
Pyrethrum  Aureum,  the  Golden  Feather,  used  to  be 
grown  very  extensively  in  the  days  when  carpet-bedding 
enjoyed  favour,  but  one  does  not  see  much  of  it  now. 
Its  yellow  leaves  need  regular  cropping  with  finger  and 
thumb  to  keep  it  dwarf.  The  Salpiglossis  is  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  of  half-hardy  annuals.  Raised  from  seed 
in  winter  or  spring,  like  Asters  and  Stocks,  it  produces 
tall,  loose,  arching  spikes,  studded  with  brilliant  urns. 
It  is  charming  when  lightly  mixed  in  beds  of  Asters. 
The  Ten-week  Stocks  make  charming  and  fragrant  beds, 
but  are  perhaps  more  largely  used  for  forming  broad 
bands  to  beds  or  borders.  Tagates  Signata  Pumila,  or 
the  variety  Golden  Ring,  may  be  pressed  into  service  as 
a  plant  for  margins.  The  growth  is  dense,  and  the  small 
yellow  flowers  are  produced  in  great  abundance.  If 
raised  from  seed  with  Asters  and  Stocks,  it  will  flower 
all  the  summer.  Verbenas  make  delightful  beds,  and, 
as  we  have  seen,  seedling  plants  raised  in  winter  flower 
profusely  the  same  summer.  If  the  plants  tend  to 
become  straggly,  the  shoots  may  be  pegged  down.  Ver- 
benas thrive  in  most  soils.  Their  revival  has  brought 
several  beautiful  named  varieties  into  being,  among 
which  Miss  Ellen  Willmott  (pink)  and  Warley  Scarlet 
are  two  of  the  best.  These  have  large  flowers  of  most 
brilliant  colour,  and  are  grand  bedding  plants.  One 
occasionally  sees  the  Lemon-scented  Verbena  (Aloysia, 
or  Lippia,  Citriodora)  used  as  a  bedding  plant.  It  is 
212 


MAY   MORNS 

worth  growing  in  pots.  It  is  the  foliage  which  is  May 
fragrant,  and  the  perfume,  which  is  powerful  and  16-31 
delicious,  clings  to  the  leaves  after  they  have  faded. 
Violas  had  special  attention  in  an  earlier  chapter.  If 
planted  as  late  as  May,  they  ought  to  be  watered 
regularly  for  some  time,  and  the  flowers  should  be 
picked  incessantly.  Thus  nursed,  they  will  probably 
establish  themselves.  Zinnias,  raised  from  seed  like 
other  half-hardy  plants,  enjoy  some  amount  of  favour 
as  bedding  plants.  When  well  grown  they  are  very 
handsome,  as  the  flowers  are  large,  brilliant,  and  varied 
in  colour,  and  borne  abundantly. 

Preparing  and  Planting  Beds. — Bulbs  that  are  taken 
out  of  flower  beds  in  spring  need  not  be  regarded  as 
useless.  Tulips  and  Daffodils  nearly  always.  Hyacinths 
often,  do  well  again  the  following  year.  This  is  par- 
ticularly the  case  if  the  soil  is  deep  and  moist,  and  if  the 
plants  are  cared  for  after  flowering.  When  a  bed  is 
being  cleared,  the  bulbs  should  be  laid  in  shallow  boxes 
with  a  little  earth  clinging  to  the  roots  as  fast  as  they 
are  taken  up,  and  carried  away  to  a  spare  corner  of  the 
garden,  where  they  can  be  covered  with  soil.  Wall- 
flowers are  not  worth  preserving,  because,  as  we  shall 
see  soon,  they  are  best  raised  from  seed  every  year. 
They  may  be  taken  to  the  rubbish  corner  forthwith. 
If  Primroses  and  Polyanthuses  are  grown  they  should 
be  taken  up  in  clumps,  with  soil  attached,  placed  in 
boxes,  and  removed  to  the  reserve  garden,  where  they 
should  be  planted  and  watered.  Large  clumps  can  be 
divided  at  the  same  time,  and  the  divisions  set  out  a  foot 
apart  in  rich,  moist  soil.  These  will  thicken  out  into 
good  plants  by  autumn,  and  will  come  in  admirably  for 
the  next  year's  spring  bedding.  All  plants  having  been 
removed,  and  all  remnants  of  foliage  gathered  up,  the 
213 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

May  soil  should  be  deeply  dug  and  the  edges  neatly  trimmed. 
16-31  Decayed  manure  may  be  dug  in  if  the  soil  is  very  poor, 
but  not  otherwise.  In  setting  out  the  fresh  plants,  a  few 
leading  points  should  be  borne  in  mind  :  (i)  never  put 
many  different  kinds  of  plant  in  one  bed ;  (2)  do  not 
mix  plants  of  different  heights  indiscriminately,  rather 
have  one  low  kind  dotted  with  one  taller  kind ;  (3)  blend 
the  colours  in  accordance  with  the  hints  given  in  the 
remarks  on  Herbaceous  Borders,  Chapter  III.;  (4)  bear 
in  mind  the  probable  dimensions  of  the  various  plants 
when  they  have  developed,  and  plant  at  distances  which 
may  be  expected  to  secure  a  full,  but  not  a  crowded, 
bed  ;  (5)  settle  the  plants  firmly  and  deeply  into  the  soil ; 
(6)  give  a  good  watering. 

Among  the  Roses — Disbudding — Maggots. — There  is 
beauty  in  the  gardens  of  those  Rose  lovers  who  grow 
a  good  many  Tea  varieties  from  the  first  outbreak  of 
new  shoots,  for  the  stems  and  foliage  are  ruddily  tinted. 
Amateurs  who  grow  for  exhibition  must  give  attention  to 
the  removal  of  some  of  the  shoots  if  they  come  thickly. 
Half-a-dozen  branches  will  be  enough  for  each  tree. 
Later  they  must  also  thin  the  flower  buds.  If  leaves  are 
seen  to  be  curling,  search  must  be  made  for  a  small 
maggot,  and  if  it  is  found  to  be  the  cause  all  curled 
leaves  should  be  crushed. 

Watering  Wall  Climbers  and  Shrubs. — Climbers  that 
have  been  recently  planted  against  walls  or  in  the  open 
will  be  greatly  benefited  by  soakings  of  water  if  the 
weather  is  dry.  It  will  help  any  that  seem  to  be  estab- 
lishing themselves  slowly  if  they  are  syringed  every  day 
for  a  week,  as  this  will  lessen  evaporation,  and  reduce 
the  drain  upon  the  roots. 

Carnations — Staking — Enemies. — Carnations  begin  to 
throw  up  their  flower  stems  several  weeks  before  the 
214 


MAY    MORNS 

blooms  open,  and  supports  should  be  put  to  them  in  May 
good  time.  If  wooden  stakes  are  used,  care  must  be  1^3^ 
taken  not  to  loop  the  flower  stems  tightly  to  them,  or 
extension  will  be  checked.  Trouble  from  this  cause 
has  led  to  the  invention  of  wire  coil  stakes.  They  are 
painted  green,  and  cost  between  a  shilhng  and  eighteen- 
pence  a  dozen.  Clips  cost  about  a  shilling  a  hundred. 
If  Carnations  do  badly,  dwindling  rather  than  growing, 
without  any  external  cause,  wireworm  or  leather-jacket 
grubs  may  be  suspected.  The  first  point  can  generally 
be  settled  speedily  by  taking  the  unsatisfactory  plants 
up,  when  the  pests  will  probably  be  found  on  or  near 
them.  If  grubs  are  found,  some  pieces  of  raw  Potato 
had  better  be  impaled  on  sticks  and  embedded  as  baits 
near  the  plants.  Further,  holes  may  be  made  a  few 
inches  deep  round  the  plants,  and  Apterite  or  Vaporite 
dropped  in. 

Repotting  Cyclamens. — Cyclamens  that  have  gone  out 
of  bloom  may  now  have  the  flower  stems  removed,  and 
be  repotted.  Three  parts  of  fibrous  loam,  one  each  of 
decayed  manure  and  leaf  mould  and  a  good  dash  of 
coarse  sand,  will  suit  them.  They  should  be  placed 
on  an  ash-bed  stage  in  the  greenhouse,  and,  when  they 
have  started  growing,  given  abundance  of  water.  Fre- 
quent syringing  will  prove  advantageous,  as  the  plants 
like  a  moist  atmosphere. 

Platiting-out  Arum  Lilies. — The  beautiful  Arum  Lily 
does  well  in  the  open  garden  in  summer,  if  the  soil  is 
deep  and  rich  ;  and  planting  it  out  saves  house-room 
and  trouble  in  watering.  A  simple  plan  is  to  make  a 
trench  six  inches  deep,  place  the  plants  in  it  after  turning 
them  out  of  their  pots,  press  the  soil  around  them,  and 
give  a  good  soaking  of  water. 

Young  Hydrangeas. — Young    plants    of    Hydrangea 
215 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

May     which  have  grown  from  cuttings  put  in  a  few  weeks  ago 

^^31     may  now  be  transferred  to  5-inch  pots.     The  compost 

recommended    for  Cyclamens  will    suit  them.     When 

they  are  six  inches  high,  the  tip  of  the  shoot  may  be 

pinched  out. 

Fruit 

The  Progress  of  Grafts. — Fruit  trees  that  were  grafted 
in  accordance  with  the  instructions  given  in  March  will 
now  be  growing.  In  addition  to  the  grafts  themselves, 
it  is  possible  that  shoots  may  be  appearing  on  the  stumps 
below  them.  All  such  growths  should  be  removed,  or 
they  will  deprive  the  grafts  of  sap.  As  the  growths 
extend  from  the  graft  they  should  be  supported  by 
first  tying  a  flower  stake  to  the  stump  bearing  the  graft, 
and  then  tying  the  graft  shoot  to  the  stake.  This  removes 
any  fear  of  the  grafts  being  torn  out  by  the  wind. 

Grapes. — The  thinning  of  Grapes  in  cool  houses  must 
have  attention  now.  The  watering  of  Vines  that  are 
growing  in  borders  within  the  house  must  have  regular 
attention.  Early  ventilation  should  be  practised,  and 
care  taken  to  close  the  house  early  in  the  afternoon, 
afterwards  damping  down. 

Melons. — Early  Melons  will  have  swollen  up  their  fruit 
by  now,  and  a  support  should  be  placed  under  each 
one.  A  "cradle"  consisting  of  cross  strands  of  raphia 
attached  to  the  wires  under  the  roof  will  sufiice  ;  or  a 
small  board  may  be  suspended  from  the  wires  and 
pressed  below  the  fruit. 

Peaches. — Outdoor  Peaches  may  be  disbudded  in  the 
manner  advised  for  indoor  trees  a  few  weeks  ago.  Trees 
under  glass  may  be  watered,  the  fruit  thinned,  and  the 
shoots  tied  in. 

Strawberries. — Liquid  manure  may  be  given  to  pot 
216 


MAY   MORNS 

plants  that  are  now  swelling  fruit.     Outdoor  beds  should     May 
be  hoed.  16-31 

Vegetables 

Asparagus. — Continue  to  cut  as  previously  advised 
and  give  a  sprinkling  of  salt,  followed  by  a  soaking  of 
liquid  manure.  These  applications  will  strengthen  the 
plants  and  improve  the  crop. 

Beans. — Scarlet  Runners,  of  the  approved  sorts 
already  named,  may  be  sown,  likewise  dwarf  French. 

Cauliflowers  which  are  now  in  seed  beds  may  be 
set  out  a  foot  apart  in  nursery  beds,  there  to  remain 
until  the  removal  of  early  Peas  or  Potatoes  sets  a  piece 
of  ground  free  for  them. 

Celery. — If  early  Celery  is  wanted,  and  there  is  a 
supply  of  sturdy  young  plants,  a  trench  may  be  made 
now.  After  removing  about  eight  inches  of  soil  to  the 
width  of  a  foot,  break  up  the  bottom  of  the  trench 
thoroughly  and  dig  in  some  manure,  or  bone-fiour  at  the 
rate  of  one  ounce  per  yard,  and  replace  a  couple  of 
inches  of  the  top  soil  for  planting  in.  Set  the  plants 
about  ten  inches  apart,  and  give  a  good  soaking  of 
water. 

Cuaimbers. — See  that  the  plants  do  not  get  full  of 
tangled  growths.  No  more  side  shoots  ought  to  be 
left  than  can  be  tied  in  with  full  room.  The  shoots  may 
be  stopped  at  a  leaf  beyond  the  fruit.  Give  liquid 
manure,  and  maintain  a  moist  atmosphere. 

Peas. — Another  sowing  may  be  made  in  deep, 
manured,  moist  soil.  If  the  shoots  of  Peas  in  bloom  are 
pinched,  the  pods  will  fill  several  days  earlier  than  if  they 
are  allowed  to  continue  their  extension. 

Potatoes. — The  ground  between  Potatoes  should  be 
well  hoed,  in  order  to  keep  down  weeds  and  to  provide 
217 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 

May      loose  soil  for  earthing,  which  should  be  practised  before 

16-31     the  tops  get  tall. 

Tomatoes  must  have  regular  attention.  Plants  in  pots 
which  are  swelling  up  a  crop  of  fruit  may  have  water 
and  liquid  manure.  They  enjoy  moisture  at  the  roots, 
but  a  damp  atmosphere  is  Hable  to  encourage  leaf 
disease.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  Cucumbers  and 
Tomatoes  do  not  thrive,  as  a  rule,  in  the  same  house. 


May  The  Garden  in  May — A  Resume 

Resum6  The  warmer,  longer  days,  the  rapid  development  of 
plants,  and  the  greater  abundance  of  leaf  and  bloom 
combine  to  render  May  a  pleasant  month  in  the  garden. 
The  gardener  begins  to  see  some  results  of  his  early 
labours,  and  derives  encouragement  therefrom.  He 
must  not,  however,  begin  to  relax  his  efforts  yet 
awhile  ;  his  attitude  should  rather  be  to  follow  up  a 
good  start,  and  not  relax  in  the  slightest  degree  such 
advantage  as  he  has  gained. 

One  matter  on  which  concentration  is  extremely 
desirable  is  that  of  the  subjugation  of  insect  enemies. 
Aphides,  slugs,  snails,  caterpillars,  grubs,  and  maggots 
of  various  descriptions  attack  plants.  Flowers,  fruit, 
and  vegetables  are  equally  affected.  All  enemies  become 
increasingly  troublesome  as  they  grow  in  numbers, 
and  it  should  be  the  aim  of  gardeners  to  see  that  they  do 
not  increase — to  attack  and  destroy  them  before  they 
have  time  to  spread.  Fruit  trees  and  vegetables  may 
be  sprayed,  and  Roses  hand-picked.  Sanitas  and  lime 
may  be  used  for  suppressing  slugs,  and  Apterite  or 
Vaporite  for  reducing  wireworms  and  leather-jackets. 

Beautiful  window  ledges  do  much  to  make  house 
fronts  attractive,  and  some  time  in  May  existing  boxes 
218 


Rdsume 


MAY   MORNS 

may  be  replanted,  and  new  ones  made,  in  order  to  May 
provide  a  summer  display  of  bloom.  Bulbs  from  boxes 
may  be  transferred  to  the  garden.  Zonal  Geraniums, 
Fuchsias,  white  and  yellow  Marguerites,  Celosias,  Cam- 
panulas, Asters,  Ivy-leaved  Geraniums  and  Tropoeolums 
are  all  useful  for  window  boxes  in  summer.  The  soil 
should  be  fresh,  and  consist  mainly  of  fibrous  loam. 
There  should  be  holes  in  the  bottom  of  the  boxes  to 
permit  of  surplus  water  escaping. 

Plants  inside  windows,  such  as  Spiraea  Japonica  and 
Pelargoniums,  ought  now  to  be  in  full  beauty  and  will 
enjoy  plenty  of  water.  Foliage  plants,  such  as  Aralias, 
Aspidistras,  and  India-rubber  Plants  may  be  repotted. 
Ferns  may  also  be  repotted.  Palms  should  be  sponged, 
watered,  and  given  air. 

Chinese  Primulas  may  be  sown  for  flowering  the 
following  year. 

Water  Lilies  may  be  planted  in  ponds  or  in  prepared 
pools  or  tubs,     Nymphaeas  are  particularly  attractive. 

Young  Coleuses  may  be  repotted  and  given  a  light 
position  in  order  to  develop  rich  colour  in  the  leaves. 
Bouvardias  may  be  repotted  when  they  start  growing, 
and  placed  in  a  frame.  Berry  Solanums  might  also  be 
repotted,  but  it  saves  trouble  to  plant  them  in  the  garden, 
and  pot  them  up  in  September. 

A  selection  of  Chrysanthemums,  suitable  for  flower- 
ing in  beds  and  borders  during  late  summer  and  autumn, 
may  be  made,  and  the  young  plants  put  out.  If  desired 
they  may  be  planted  in  a  nursery  bed,  and  transplanted 
to  the  positions  where  they  are  to  bloom  when  the 
flower  buds  show. 

A  selection  of  Dahlias  may  be  made,  and  the  young 
plants  put  out  in  deep,  rich  soil  towards  the  end  of  the 
month. 

219 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 

l^ay  The  planting  of  border  and  rock  plants  should  be 

—      completed  for  the  season. 
R6sum6  From  the  middle  to  the  end  of  May  those  gardeners 

who  practise  "  bedding-out "  for  a  summer  and  autumn 
display  may  proceed  with  the  work.  China  Asters, 
tuberous  Begonias,  Cannas,  Celosias,  Zonal  Geraniums, 
Indian  Pinks,  Lobelias,  Mimuluses  (for  shade),  Pansies, 
Pentstemons,  Petunias,  Salpiglossis,  Snapdragons,  Ten- 
week  Stocks,  Tobacco,  Verbenas,  and  Violas  are  a  few 
of  the  principal  plants  recommended  for  the  purpose. 

Bulbs  that  are  lifted  from  flower  beds  to  make  way 
for  summer-flowering  plants  may  be  put  in  the  reserve 
garden.  Primroses  and  Polyanthuses  may  be  divided 
and  planted  in  deep,  rich  soil.  Wallflowers  may  be 
thrown  away,  and  fresh  ones  raised  from  seed  for 
planting  in  autumn.  The  beds  should  be  thoroughly 
dug  and  cleaned  before  the  summer  plants  are  put  in. 

Roses  should  be  disbudded  and  maggots  crushed. 
Carnations  should  be  staked  and  protected  from  wire- 
worm.  Cyclamens  and  Hydrangeas  may  be  repotted, 
and  Arum  Lilies  planted  out  in  the  garden. 

There  will  not  be  a  great  deal  to  do  among  hardy 
fruit,  but  the  trees  may  be  sprayed  with  arsenate  solution 
if  caterpillars  or  Codlin  grub  are  troublesome.  Growing 
grafts  may  be  supported  with  flower  stakes. 

Vines  will  call  for  varying  treatment  according  to 
their  stage  of  growth.  With  early  Grapes,  stopping, 
ventilating,  and  watering  will  be  the  principal  items. 
Early  crops  will  need  the  shoots  tying  down,  and  the 
bunches  thinning. 

Melons  in  bearing  will  require  supporting  and  feeding 
with  liquid  manure. 

Peaches  will  need  thinning,  and  the  growths 
training. 

220 


R^sum6 


MAY    MORNS 

Strawberries  that  are  being  grown  in  pots,  and  are      May 
bearing  fruit,  will  be  benefited  by  liquid  manure. 

In  the  vegetable  garden  there  will  still  be  some  sowing 
to  do.  Both  Runner  and  dwarf  French  Beans  may  be 
sown,  likewise  Beetroot. 

Asparagus  beds  ought  to  be  bearing  now ;  only  the 
thick  heads  should  be  removed,  the  thin  ones  being  left 
to  strengthen  the  crowns.  Liquid  manure  will  benefit 
the  bed. 

Lettuces  may  be  thinned  and  planted  out.  Winter 
Greens  may  also  be  thinned.  A  last  sowing  of  Broccoli 
should  be  made  for  next  spring ;  likewise  sowings  of 
Savoy  and  Scotch  Kale. 

Cauliflowers  may  be  set  out  in  nursery  beds,  and  if 
early  Celery  is  wanted  a  trench  may  be  planted.  Toma- 
toes may  be  hardened  in  readiness  for  planting  out. 
Train  Cucumbers,  earth  Potatoes,  and  sow  successional 
Peas. 


221 


CHAPTER  VI 

ROSE  TIME 

June  It  is  a  poor  garden  that  does  not  show  Roses  in  June, 
and  in  the  early  part  of  the  month  too.  Nothing  is  more 
amazing,  and  at  the  same  time  more  delightful,  than  the 
way  in  which  Roses  bound  into  bloom  in  June  after  a 
slow  drag  through  a  cold  spring.  I  sometimes  think 
that  Nature,  who  often  treats  us  harshly  with  cold  winds 
throughout  April  and  May,  which  hold  vegetation  back 
and  give  the  whole  garden  a  pinched  look — that  this 
same  domineering  spirit  provides  compensation  in  an 
unusual  acceleration  of  speed  when  the  weather-brake  is 
removed.  Vegetation  seems  to  spring  as  a  motor  does 
when  an  extra  whiff  of  gas  is  given.  It  is,  of  course,  a 
fact  that  plants  in  Arctic  regions  grow  more  rapidly,  when 
once  they  are  started,  than  plants  in  the  south.  This  has 
been  attributed  by  scientists  to  the  effect  of  electric 
discharges,  but  the  vegetable  forcer  in  this  country 
notices  that  plants  which  have  been  checked  (might  I 
not  say  rested  ?)  by  hard  frost  grow  faster,  when  sub- 
jected to  heat,  than  others  which  have  never  had  to  feel 
the  pinch  of  winter. 

It  is  disappointing  to  see  plants  held  up  by  hard 
weather  in  spring,  but  one  feels  that  it  is  almost  worth  it 
when  one  sees  with  what  gusto  they  go  ahead  directly 
they  are  released.  They  are  as  full  of  life  and  joy  as 
a  dog  taken  off  the  chain. 

June  is  perhaps  the  most  enjoyable  month  of  the 


ROSE   TIME 

whole  year  in  the  garden.  Those  who  have  mowing  June 
under  a  hot  sun  in  view  will  possibly  demur  to  the 
suggestion  that  the  real  hard  work  of  the  year  has  been 
done ;  but  at  least  the  preparatory  work  has  been  com- 
pleted. And  mowing  is  not  laborious  in  the  same  way  as 
digging  and  path-making.  The  modern  mower  runs  as 
easily  as  an  aeroplane,  and  the  cut  grass  has  a  delicious 
smell.  The  work  is  really  only  hard  when  the  amateur 
wills  that  it  shall  be  so  by  choosing  an  inferior  machine, 
and  using  it  in  an  unclean,  unoiled  state. 

There  is  one  thing  that  I  will  admit — nay,  with  a 
definite  object  in  view,  gladly  affirm — namely,  that  tasks 
multiply  rapidly  in  the  garden  in  summer.  Practically 
all  the  digging,  manuring,  turfing,  planting,  and  sowing 
have  been  done,  and  yet  we  are  busier  than  ever.  Some 
plants  want  watering,  others  staking,  and  others  thinning. 
Strawberries  need  mulching,  Gooseberries  netting,  early 
Peas  gathering,  climbing  Roses  tying,  paths  rolling  after 
rain,  and  Grass  edges  trimming  after  the  completion  of 
the  mowing.  A  score  of  things,  not  one  of  which  we 
might  think  of  in  walking  through  a  neighbour's  garden, 
want  doing  in  our  own.  And  the  apparently  minor 
tasks  sometimes  take  up  the  most  time.  For  instance, 
the  pricking-out  of  a  bedful  of  young  Cauliflowers  in 
a  distant  corner  of  the  garden  may  pass  unoticed 
by  everybody  except  the  person  who  does  the  work, 
and  yet  it  may  have  taken  two  hours  out  of  a  busy 
day. 

The  object  which  I  referred  to  in  the  preceding  para- 
graph is  that  of  suggesting  to  employers  of  garden  labour 
that  consideration  is  urgently  called  for  in  the  busy  days 
of  summer.  A  gardener  should  not  be  called  away  to 
clean  windows,  or  wash  down  a  motor  car,  or  pluck  a 
fowl,  and  then  be  sharply  admonished  if  the  grass  gets 
223 


THE   GARDEN    WEEK   BY    WEEK 

June  too  long  before  it  is  cut.  A  man  with  half  an  acre  or 
more  of  garden,  and  a  couple  of  glass  houses,  will  not 
have  much  time  for  extraneous  tasks  in  summer. 
Gardeners  are  not  naturally  grumpy  men,  but  they 
grow  tetchy  when  they  are  overworked  and  misunder- 
stood. 

I  come  back  to  my  point,  that  work  in  the  summer  is 
not  generally  so  laborious  as  that  of  winter.  There  is  so 
much  more  to  beguile  it  in  the  way  of  pleasant  sights  and 
sweet  smells  that  such  physical  strain  as  there  is  is  not 
noticed.  Is  a  man  likely  to  groan  at  having  to  carry 
water  to  Sweet  Peas,  when  he  can  almost  see  the  plants 
grow  under  his  eyes,  and  when  every  day  finds  more 
and  more  colour  in  the  buds  ?  Will  he  consider  it 
irksome  to  draw  a  roller  over  the  lawn  when  the  Grass 
is  verdant  and  buoyant  ?  Will  he  grumble  at  having  to 
train  a  Rose  when  the  pillars  are  being  rapidly  covered 
with  a  mantle  of  flowers  ? 

People  who  have  gardens  should  live  the  open-air 
life  to  the  full  in  June.  If  they  have  writing  to  do,  let 
them  take  it  into  the  garden.  Let  them  work,  eat,  read 
— yes,  even  sleep  there.  The  ingenious  cycle  campers 
have  devised  tents  of  extraordinary  lightness  and  grace. 
They  have  invented  bedsteads,  mattresses,  blankets, 
sheets,  and  pyjamas  all  combined  in  one  or  two  articles, 
which  they  can  as  good  as  stow  away  in  their  waistcoat 
pockets.  Why  should  not  we  who  make  beautiful 
gardens,  filling  them  with  lovely  sights  and  delicious 
odours,  sleep  in  them  ?  Think  of  breathing  fresh, 
invigorating  air  at  night  just  as  we  breathe  it  throughout 
the  day.  Night  air  is  every  whit  as  good  as  day  air — if 
anything,  better.  And  we  are  not  obliged  to  allow  damp 
to  penetrate  our  bones,  and  give  us  rheumatism  for  life, 
just  because  we  decline  to  sleep  between  brick  walls. 
224 


ROSE   TIME 

June 
JUNE— First  and  Second  Weeks  I-I5 

The  Lawn 

June  is  an  interesting  month  with  the  lawn.  The 
Grass  has  been  growing  freely  for  several  weeks.  But 
weeds  have  been  growing  too.  Some  Nature  lovers  like 
to  see  Daisies  in  lawns,  but  the  most  confirmed  Nature 
lover  draws  the  line  at  Dandelions  and  Plantains.  The 
average  gardener  objects  to  them  all.  He  can  tolerate  a 
Daisy  in  a  pasture,  he  can  even  grow  special  varieties  in 
the  garden  border ;  but  he  loathes  any  kind  of  Daisy  on 
the  lawn.  A  lawn,  he  will  tell  you,  is  not  a  meadow.  It 
is  a  home  for  choice  Grasses.  He  will  concede  a  slight 
mixture  of  Clover,  but  nothing  more. 

Trouble  arises  from  the  fact  that  many  lawns  are 
made  out  of  pastures.  When  a  man  buys  land  and 
builds  a  house  there  is  a  very  natural  temptation  to 
leave  a  certain  area  of  the  Grass  for  a  lawn,  and  other 
strips  for  the  Grass  walks.  It  saves  trouble  and  expense. 
Turf  has  not  to  be  laid,  nor  seeds  sown.  The  Grass  is 
mown  and  rolled,  and  so  made  into  a  lawn.  So  far  good. 
Mowing  and  rolling  both  have  an  admirable  mechanical 
effect  on  pasture.  They  curb  the  strong  Grasses,  and  give 
the  weak  a  chance  of  asserting  themselves.  Thus  the  lawn 
gradually  becomes  finer  in  texture.  Perhaps  a  mixture 
of  soil  and  manure  is  spread  on  in  winter,  and  allowed 
to  crumble  down  and  work  in  under  the  influence  of  the 
weather.  This  also  has  an  excellent  effect.  But  neither 
mowing,  nor  rolling,  nor  top-dressing  will  get  rid  of 
Daisies  and  Dandelions.  Manuring  rather  encourages 
them.  Those  who  do  not  like  to  see  weeds  in  the  Grass 
may  turn  to  "lawn  sand,"  which  seedsmen  sell.  The 
amateur  is  a  little  dubious  when  he  reads  that  lawn  sand 
225  P 


THE   GARDEN  WEEK   BY   WEEK 

June  will  kill  weeds  and  nourish  Grass.  He  expects  that  what 
^"^5  is  injurious  to  one  class  of  vegetation  will  be  so  to 
another,  and  may  be  curious  to  know  what  the  substance 
is  that  has  the  peculiar  effect  claimed.  The  principal 
component  of  lawn  sand  is  sulphate  of  ammonia, 
which  is  at  once  a  destroyer  and  a  fertiliser  of  plants, 
according  to  the  manner  of  its  application.  Let  the 
reader  who  grows  spring  Cabbages  try  sulphate  of 
ammonia  as  a  stimulant.  He  will  find  that  if  he  spreads 
it  on  the  soil  in  a  very  small  quantity  (an  ounce  per 
square  yard  as  a  maximum),  it  will  increase  the  growth 
and  deepen  the  colour  of  the  plants.  But  if  he  drops 
a  few  particles  on  to  the  leaves,  he  will  probably  find 
that  they  are  scorched.  Now  let  him  proceed  to  the 
lawn,  and,  allowing  two  ounces  per  square  yard,  drop 
the  greater  part  of  it  into  the  heart  of  the  weeds,  and 
sprinkle  the  remainder  in  the  lightest  possible  coating 
(it  is  so  difficult  to  use  a  small  enough  quantity  that 
it  is  well  to  add  an  ounce  of  superphosphate  to  it) 
over  the  Grass,  The  amateur  now  understands  how 
lawn  sand  may  do  good  in  two  ways — reducing  weeds 
and  stimulating  Grass. 

I  do  not  hold  out  over-bright  hopes  of  getting  rid  of 
Dandelions  and  Plantains  with  lawn  sand,  I  should 
prefer  to  put  some  sulphuric  acid  in  a  bottle,  and  transfer 
a  few  drops  of  this  fierce  corrosive  fluid  to  the  heart 
of  each  weed  by  means  of  a  forked  stick.  But  if  the 
area  be  small,  the  weeds  can  be  spudded  out  with  an  old 
knife. 

One  sometimes  finds  a  lawn  go  almost  brown  in 
winter  when  the  Grass  is  not  growing.  This  is  probably 
due  to  the  attacks  of  leather-jackets  below  the  surface. 
Rooks  and  starlings  reduce  these  pests  in  meadows,  the 
former  by  cleverly  hooking  them  out  of  the  soil,  the 
226 


ROSE   TIME 

latter  by  feeding  on  the  daddy-long-legs  when  they  June 
come  through  at  the  end  of  summer.  But  rooks  do  ^~^5 
not  work  freely  on  lawns,  and  although  the  starling 
is  not  so  shy,  he  cannot  do  enough  in  himself.  The 
gardener  cannot  very  well  attempt  to  exterminate  the 
underground  enemy,  but  he  can  help  the  Grass  im- 
mensely by  persistent  rolling  and  annual  top-dressing. 
The  former  helps  to  spread  and  propagate  roots,  the 
latter  nourishes  them. 

Young  lawns  from  seed  may  give  a  good  deal  of 
trouble  if  the  seed  germinates  slowly  as  a  result  of  cold 
weather  in  April  and  May,  because  the  weather,  which 
retards  the  germination  of  Grass  seeds,  may  have  very 
little  effect  on  the  growth  of  strong-rooted  weeds. 
Then,  although  the  ground  may  become  green,  it  is 
with  weeds  and  not  with  Grasses.  This  is  an  unfortunate 
state  of  affairs,  and  it  teaches  the  sufferer  from  it  the 
paramount  importance  of  thoroughly  cleansing  ground 
of  weed  roots  when  preparing  it  for  a  lawn.  So  far 
as  annual  weeds  are  concerned — that  is,  those  which 
spring  from  seeds  that  lie  dormant  in  winter — they 
cannot,  it  is  true,  be  removed  like  the  others,  but  they 
do  not  give  so  much  trouble  when  the  top  soil  is  turned 
thoroughly  over  as  when  it  is  merely  broken  up,  because 
they  are  buried  considerably  below  their  usual  depth. 
If  weeds  come  amid  the  young  Grasses  they  should  be 
picked  out  by  hand,  or  they  will  overgrow  the  weaker 
plants.  The  tops  of  the  young  Grasses  should  be 
skimmed  off  with  a  scythe  in  preference  to  being  cut 
with  the  mower,  and  the  scything  should  be  followed 
by  a  rolling,  as  this  helps  to  "mat"  the  roots,  and  the 
plants  to  throw  up  more  spears. 

A    little  Clover   is   good  in  a  lawn,  but   the  sower 
should  mind  what  he  is  about  when  spreading  the  seed. 
227 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

June   If  the  two  are  found  to  be  mixed  in  one  bag  when  they 

^-^5    arrive,  they  should  be   remixed  thoroughly  before   the 

seed  is  spread  on,  because  the  Clover  seed  is  the  heavier, 

and  will  tend  to  collect  at  the  bottom.     The  result  of 

this  may  be  a  superabundance  of  Clover  in  some  parts 

of  the  lawn.     In  a  season  of  slow  germination  it  will 

.....  ^  come  before  the  Grass, 

-;•;•■•'•'••        ,••••■•;■■'..■.   •;.._..,.     •*"''".,„    mat     itself     over     the 

ground,  and  reduce  the 
opportunity  of  the 
Grasses  to  get  a  good 
foothold. 

As    regards   mowers, 

three   guineas  seems  a 

long   price   to    pay  for 

a      lo-inch      machine, 

when  one  of  the  same 

size   can   be   got  for  a 

guinea,  but,  personally, 

I  would  pay  it.      There 

may     not     be      much 

difference  in  the  degree 

of  ease  with  which  the 

respective  machines  are 

worked  for  the  first  few 

months,  but  afterwards 

it  will  grow  steadily  more  and  more  marked.     A  lo-inch 

is  a  suitable  size.     A  man  is  satisfied  with  it  because  it 

runs  so  easily  that  he  can  get  over  the  lawn  quickly, 

yet  it  is   not  too  heavy  for  a  woman  if  she  cares  to 

indulge  in  a  bout  of  mowing.     The  best  of  mowers  may 

be  rendered  harsh  and  slow  by  bad  management,  such 

as  neglect  of  oiling,  and  putting  away  wet  and  uncleansed. 

Grass  should  not  be  cut  when  it  is  really  wet,  nor  should 

228 


Fig.  38.— Patching  a  Faulty  Lawn. 
a.  New  soil.  b.  Level  surface. 

c.  How  to  cut  the  turf  across,  so  that  it  can 

be  easily  rolled  back  both  ways. 

d.  How  to  cut  the  turf  lengthwise. 

e.  A  faulty  place  marked  for  renewal. 


ROSE   TIME 

it  be  left  uncut  more  than  a  week  throughout  the  summer.  June 
A  lawn  can  be  mown  much  more  rapidly  if  the  Grass  is  ^"^5 
allowed  to  fall  than  if  it  is  collected  in  a  box,  which  has 
to  be  regularly  emptied.  Letting  the  grass  lie  is  per- 
missible. Rolling  does  most  good,  perhaps,  in  late 
winter  and  early  spring,  just  when  the  Grass  is  beginning 
to  grow ;  but  it  is  always  beneficial  after  mowing,  and 
especially  after  rain. 

Sometimes  one  finds  that  a  lawn  on  poor  ground, 
and  where  it  is  much  worried  by  enemies  at  the  root, 
gets  bare  in  parts.  If  the  weak  spot  amounts  to  an 
actual  hole,  it  is  best  to  cut  it  out  in  a  neat  parallelogram, 
lay  down  fresh  turf,  and  water  well  (Fig.  38) ;  otherwise 
it  will  suffice  to  spread  on  some  soil,  sow  seeds,  and  roll. 


Flowers 

Sowing  Biennials. — One  of  the  first  tasks  in  the 
flower  garden  is  to  raise  a  good  quantity  of  biennial 
plants,  such  as  Canterbury  Bells,  Foxgloves,  Wallflowers, 
and  Sweet  Williams,  from  seed  for  planting  out  in  autumn 
to  flower  the  following  year.  Early  June  is  an  excellent 
time  for  this,  because  the  plants  have  plenty  of  time  in 
which  to  get  strong  by  October,  and  at  the  same  time 
they  do  not  get  in  the  way  of  other  things.  It  is  true 
that  it  is  not  advisable  to  leave  them  in  the  seed  bed  all 
the  summer,  unless  they  are  sown  very  thinly  indeed 
(and  they  are  rarely  sown  thinly  enough  to  escape 
becoming  crowded  before  autumn),  but  it  is  generally 
easy  to  find  a  spare  bed  where  they  can  be  put  out  in 
rows  a  few  inches  apart  in  July.  Here  they  can  be  kept 
healthy  and  sturdy  by  hoeing  as  necessary. 

And  while  the  amateur  is  buying  seed  of  these 
special  biennials  he  may,  if  he  likes,  get  packets  of  some 
229 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY    WEEK 

June  interesting  hardy  plants,  biennial  or  perennial,  which  are 
l~^5  not  so  well  known,  but  which  are  beautiful.  Although 
the  common  method  of  getting  a  stock  of  hardy  plants 
is  to  buy  one  or  two  of  each  kind  first  of  all  and  then 
propagate  by  division,  it  should  not  be  forgotten  that 
seeds  offer  a  means  of  getting  a  large  number  of  plants 
cheaply  ;  the  only  drawback  is  that  a  year  must  elapse 
before  the  majority  of  the  plants  bloom. 

Several  seedsmen  offer  seed  of  interesting  hardy 
flowers  in  penny  packets,  and  specify  the  number  of 
seeds  supplied  for  that  modest  sum.  Doubtless  thou- 
sands of  amateurs  take  advantage  of  the  system,  and 
buy  a  good  many  things  which  they  do  not  know,  on 
the  ground  that  the  experiment  will  interest  them,  and 
will  not  cost  much  even  if  it  fails.  Let  us,  however, 
glance  at  a  few  special  things,  most  of  which  may  be 
sown  in  June.  In  all  cases  it  is  understood  that  the  seeds 
are  sown  out  of  doors,  in  specially  prepared  beds,  with 
the  surface  soil  made  very  fine,  thoroughly  moistened, 
and  drills  drawn  far  enough  apart  for  a  hoe  to  be  run 
between  the  rows  with  the  object  of  keeping  down 
weeds  ;  further,  that  the  plants  are  thinned,  or  even  set 
out  a  few  inches  apart  in  nursery  beds,  and  finally 
planted  out  in  autumn  or  spring. 

INTERESTING   HARDY   PLANTS   THAT   MAY   BE   RAISED 
FROM   SEED   IN   JUNE 

Achilleas  or  Milfoils. — Of  which  there  are  several 
species  or  varieties,  Ptarmica  The  Pearl  being  one 
of  the  best. 

Aconituins  or  Monkshoods. — Of  which  both  the  blue 
and  the  white,  Napellus  and  its  variety  Albus,  are  fine 
plants.     The  roots  are  poisonous. 
230 


ROSE   TIME 

Adotiis  Vernalis. — The  yellow  spring  Ox-eye,  a  good     June 
plant.     There  is  also  an  autumn-flowering  species.  ^"^5 

Aethionema  Grandiflora. — ^The  "  Persian  Candytuft," 
which  has  pretty  spikes  of  rosy-lavender  flowers,  and  is 
a  really  charming  plant. 

Aloysia  {or  Lippid)  Citriodora,  the  Lemon-scented 
Verbena,  which  I  have  previously  referred  to  as  having 
foliage  that  is  highly  perfumed  in  both  a  green  and  a  dry 
state.  I  ought  to  say  that  it  cannot  be  wintered  out  of 
doors  without  protection. 

Alstromeria  Chilensts,  the  Chilian  Herb  Lily,  a  graceful 
and  free-blooming  plant,  which  bears  a  profusion  of 
orange,  scarlet,  and  pink  flowers  in  summer.  When 
established  it  needs  no  cultivation  of  any  kind,  except 
to  hoe  for  weeds  ;  indeed,  it  is  better  without  inter- 
ference. 

Alyssum  Saxatile  Compactumj  the  yellow  Rock  Mad- 
wort,  so  bright  in  spring  in  beds  and  on  rockeries ; 
certainly  one  of  our  most  useful  plants. 

Anchusa  Italica,  or  the  Dropmore  variety,  which  is 
finer  than  the  old  species.  Gentian-blue,  free-blooming. 
We  have  very  few  plants  of  the  colour. 

Androsaces,  such  as  Lactiflora,  white,  and  Laggeri, 
carmine-rose,  two  tiny  gems  for  the  rockery. 

Anemones,  notably  Coronaria,  the  Crown  or  Poppy 
Anemone,  of  which  seedsmen  now  offer  improved 
strains,  such  as  the  St.  Brigid.  These  are  splendid 
plants  for  large  clumps  and  beds.  They  spread  a  cover- 
ing of  Parsley-like  foliage  over  the  ground,  and  throw 
up  flower  stems  a  foot  to  eighteen  inches  high,  crowned 
with  large,  richly  coloured  flowers.  Narcissiflora,  the 
"  Daffodil  Windflower,"  as  some  call  it,  is  a  pretty  white- 
blossomed  Anemone,  and  so  is  Sylvestris,  the  Snowdrop 
Anemone. 

231 


THE  GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

June  Anthericum  Ltliago,  the    St.   Bernard's  Lily,  and  A. 

^"^5      Liliastrum,   the    St.   Bruno's   Lily,  are  graceful  white- 
flowered  plants. 

Antirrhinums  (Snapdragons)  may  be  sown,  although, 
as  I  have  pointed  out  already,  they  flower  the  same  year 
if  sown  under  glass  in  winter. 

Aquilegias  (Columbines)  may  be  specialised  by  some, 
as  they  are  hardy  flowers  of  particular  interest.  The 
long-spurred  varieties  of  Caerulea  Hybrida  are  particu- 
larly charming,  as  the  colours  include  some  delightful 
shades  of  blue  and  lilac.  In  Californica  Hybrida  the 
prevailing  hues  are  scarlet,  orange,  and  yellow.  Chrys- 
antha,  yellow,  is  one  of  the  most  popular  Columbines, 
on  account  of  its  colour.  The  true  Glandulosa,  lilac  and 
white,  is  a  greatly  coveted  species.  It  is  scarce  and 
short-lived,  but  extremely  beautiful.  Nivea  Grandiflora 
is  pure  white ;  and  another  charming  sort,  pure  as  the 
snow,  is  Munstead  White. 

The  Aradises,  or  Rock  Cresses,  are  well-known  dwarf 
plants,  which  form  cushions  of  grey-green  foliage  on 
stones  and  in  beds,  and  flower  profusely  in  spring, 
lasting  until  early  summer.  They  are  very  useful  for 
carpeting  flower  beds  in  autumn,  as  they  rob  the  soil  of 
its  bareness. 

The  Armerias  are  interesting  because  they  include 
the  common  Thrift  and  the  Sea  Pink.  A  variety  of  the 
latter  called  Laucheana  is  a  particularly  good  plant,  as  it 
not  only  forms  a  dense  cushion  of  fine,  green  foliage, 
but  bears  large  quantities  of  crimson  flowers.  A  white 
variety  can  also  be  got,  but  the  red  is  a  much  more 
useful  plant. 

Arnebia  {or  Macrotomid)  Echioides,  commonly  called 
the  Prophet  Flower,  which  has  bright  yellow  flowers 
marked  with  black  spots,  is  a  pretty  little  rockery  plant. 
232 


ROSE    TIME 

Arundo   Donax,    the    Provence    Reed,   is    a    stately     June 
Bamboo-like  plant  that  may  rise  to  a  height  of  ten  or      ^~^S 
twelve  feet.     A  covering  of  litter  should  be  placed  over 
the  root  stock  in  winter. 

Asclepias  Tuberosa,  the  Swallow-Wort,  produces 
orange  flowers,  and  is  a  showy  plant. 

Asperula  Odoi-ata,  the  sweet  White  Woodruff,  is  an 
old  favourite. 

Asphodelus  Albus  is  the  old  White  Asphodel,  an  in- 
teresting plant. 

Asters  (Michaelmas  Daisies)  can  be  raised  from  seed. 
The  species  come  true,  but  the  varieties  cannot  be  relied 
upon. 

Aubrietias  or  Purple  Rock  Cresses  are  nearly,  if  not 
quite,  as  useful  as  the  Arabises,  to  which  they  form 
companion  plants.  They  are  charming  for  carpeting,  or 
for  rockwork.  Their  regular  flowering  season  is  spring, 
but  they  will  often  bloom  twice,  flowering  in  mild 
weather  in  autumn.  Bougainvillea,  lilac ;  Deltoidea, 
purple  ;  Leichtlini,  crimson ;  and  Violacea,  violet,  are 
all  good. 

Alpine  Auriculas  may  be  used  with  Primroses  and 
Polyanthuses  for  spring  bedding.  They  are  beautiful 
flowers,  and  full  of  interest.  The  large  scented  yellow 
is  a  delightful  plant. 

Bellis  Perennis  fi.  pi.  is  the  Latin  name  of  the  double 
Daisy,  which  many  esteem  highly  for  spring  bedding. 
Neat  in  growth,  with  large  double  flowers,  the  best 
modern  varieties  make  beautiful  edgings.  One  can  get 
separate  colours,  such  as  red,  rose,  white  with  red  centre, 
blush,  and  white. 

Bocconia  Cordata  is  the  Giant  Plume  Poppy,  a  tall  plant 
with  broad,  handsome  leaves  and  spikes  of  creamy  flowers 
in  dense  clusters.     I  have  had  splendid  results  with  this 
233 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 

June  plant  on  strong,  moist,  clay  soil,  where  it  assumed  stately 
I~I5   proportions  and  stood  out  as  one  of  the  noblest  plants 
in  the  garden. 

Calandrinia  Umbellaia,  the  Rock  Purslane,  is  an  ex- 
tremely pretty  plant,  with  magenta  flowers,  and  thrives 
in  hot  positions  on  the  rockery.  A  variety  with  rosy 
carmine  flowers  is  procurable,  and  many  will  prefer  the 
colour  to  that  of  the  older  plant. 

The  Cainpamdas  (Harebells,  Canterbury  Bells,  &c.) 
are  one  of  the  most  important  of  border  genera,  and  one 
or  other  of  them  will  be  included  in  every  order  for 
seeds  of  hardy  flowers  for  summer  sowing.  C.  Allioni 
is  a  dainty  little  Alpine  species  with  violet  flowers,  suit- 
able for  the  rockery.  Carpathica,  blue,  and  its  white 
variety.  Alba,  are  old  favourites,  used  both  on  the  rockery 
and  in  the  border.  They  grow  about  a  foot  high.  Fra- 
gilis  and  Garganica  are  blue  trailers.  Glomerata  Dahu- 
rica  is  a  fine  Bellflower,  rich  indigo  blue  in  colour,  and 
growing  about  a  foot  high.  Grandiflora  (Platycodon 
Grandiflorum),  the  Chinese  Bellflower,  has  large  blue, 
cup-shaped  blooms,  borne  in  bunches  on  erect  stems 
about  eighteen  inches  high.  White  and  double  varieties 
are  procurable.  Latifolia  Alba  is  one  of  the  tallest  of  the 
border  Campanulas,  growing  to  three  feet  high.  Cam- 
panula Medium  is  our  old  favourite  the  Canterbury  Bell, 
which  we  can  get  in  blue,  lilac,  white,  rose,  and  striped  ; 
and  Campanula  Medium  Calycanthema  is  the  cup-and- 
saucer  Canterbury  Bell,  which  we  can  get  in  the  same 
colours,  but  with  much  larger  flowers.  Double  Canter- 
bury Bells  are  also  procurable.  Persicifolia  (the  Peach- 
leaved  Bellflower)  and  its  varieties  form  an  extremely 
valuable  set.  The  type  is  blue,  and  there  is  a  single 
white  variety  of  it,  also  a  semi-double  white  (Moerheimii) 
and  full  double  blue  and  white  forms,  the  last  one  of  our 
234 


ROSE   TIME 

finest  border  plants.  Pyramidalis,  the  Chimney  Bell-  June 
flower,  is  seen  oftener  in  pots  than  out  of  doors,  but  it  is  ^'^5 
hardy,  and  makes  an  effective  border  plant.  The  type 
is  blue,  and  there  is  a  white  variety.  Rotundifolia  is  the 
blue  native  Harebell.  Trachelium  is  a  three-footer  with 
blue  flowers.  Turbinata,  blue,  and  its  white  variety, 
Alba,  are  dwarf  growers.  There  are,  we  see,  quite  a 
large  number  of  beautiful  Campanulas  of  which  seed  is 
procurable,  and  they  comprise  really  beautiful  plants, 
some  suitable  for  the  border,  some  for  beds  (notably  the 
Canterbury  Bells),  and  some  for  rockeries.  They  give 
us,  too,  a  preponderance  of  blue,  which  is  a  compara- 
tively scarce  colour. 

Carnations  are  generally  grown  under  names,  and 
these  special  florists'  varieties  are  kept  true  by  propaga- 
tion from  layers,  as  described  in  Chapter  VII.  But 
beautiful  Carnations,  admirably  qualified  to  adorn 
borders,  and  to  yield  abundance  of  pretty  and  fragrant 
bloom  for  cutting,  can  be  grown  from  seed.  The  flowers 
are  not,  of  course,  so  large  as  those  which  one  sees  at 
Carnation  shows,  nor  are  the  petals  so  broad  and  evenly 
folded,  nor  the  colour  markings  so  pure  and  well  defined, 
but  they  are  extremely  pretty  all  the  same. 

Centaurea  Macrocephala,  the  Giant  Knapweed,  with  its 
large  heads  of  yellow  flowers,  is  a  notable  plant ;  and  C, 
montana,  the  blue  perennial  Cornflower,  is  popular. 

Red  and  White  Valerians  (Centra nthus  Ruber)  are 
given  to  forming  semi-wild  colonies,  and  do  not  object 
to  chalky  banks. 

Cephalaria  Alpina,  sometimes  known  as  the  Giant 
Scabious,  is  a  yellow-flowered  perennial  growing  from 
four  to  five  feet  high. 

The   CerastiumSy   or   Snow-in-Summer,    make    dense 
carpets   of  white   foliage   on   the   rockery  and   in    the 
235 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

June  border.  Biebersteinii  and  Tomentosum  are  both  popular 
^~^5      species. 

Cheiranthus  Marshalli  is  a  beautiful  bright  orange 
Wallflower-Hke  plant  (the  Wallflower  bears  the  botanical 
name  of  Cheiranthus  Cheiri),  of  which  seeds  can  be  got 
sometimes.  It  is  a  hardy  perennial,  of  compact  habit, 
and  blooms  freely,  so  that  it  is  well  worth  growing.  Its 
height  is  about  fifteen  inches. 

Chelone  Barbata,  which  some  seedsmen  offer,  is  really 
a  Pentstemon  (P.  Barbatus).  It  grows  about  two  feet 
high,  and  has  red  flowers;  Torreyi  is  a  larger  form 
of  it. 

The  Giant  White  Shasta  and  Moon  Daisies  (Chrysan- 
themum Leucanthemum  and  C.  Maximum)  are  valuable 
border  plants,  growing  about  two  feet  high,  and  spread- 
ing, in  the  case  of  large  clumps  in  rich,  moist  soil,  to  four 
or  five  feet  across. 

Cimicifuga  Cordifolia,  the  Bugwort,  with  its  tall  racemes 
of  white  flowers,  is  a  handsome  plant,  worth  growing  in 
any  border. 

The  Cisiuses,  or  Rock  Roses,  can  be  raised  from  seed 
if  desired. 

Convolvulus  Mauritanicus  is  a  splendid  trailer,  with 
large  violet  flowers,  which  one  sometimes  sees  on  large 
rockeries. 

Coreopsis  Grandiflora  and  C.  Lanceolata  are  two  good 
yellow  perennial  species  of  a  genus  which  is  perhaps 
best  known  through  its  annual  members,  Coronata, 
Drummondii,  and  Tinctoria.  C.  Lanceolata  is  a  good 
plant. 

Coronilla  Varia,  the  Crown  Vetch,  with  rose  flowers, 
and  growing  about  eighteen  inches  high,  is  also  an 
excellent  border  plant. 

Corydalis  Nobilis,  the  Fumitory,  a  dwarf  plant  with 
236 


The  beautiful  spotted  Gum  Cistus,  Cistus  cyprius  or 

ladaniferus   maculatus,  a  charming  shrub  for  dry 

rockeries. 


ROSE   TIME 

Ferny  foliage   and   yellow   flowers,  is  pretty,  and   will     June 
thrive  in  shade,  likewise  on  poor  chalky  land.    It  spreads      ^"^5 
rather  too  fast  if  left  uncurbed,  almost  becoming  a  weed, 
so  that  it  must  be  kept  in  check. 

Critcianella  Stylosa,  the  Crosswort,  grows  about  six 
inches  high,  and  has  rosy  flowers. 

Delphiniums  (several  useful  species  of  perennial  Lark- 
spur) come  true  from  seed,  although  the  florists'  varieties 
are  best  propagated  by  division.  Cardinale,  scarlet, 
three  to  five  feet  high  ;  Cashmirianum,  blue,  and  its  white 
variety,  both  about  eighteen  inches  high  ;  Formosum, 
deep  blue,  three  to  four  feet  high,  and  its  lighter  coloured 
variety  Coelestinum ;  and  Grandiflorum,  deep  blue, 
dwarf,  are  all  good.  Nor  should  Nudicaule  be  neglected. 
This  beautiful  dwarf  perennial  Larkspur  has  scarlet 
flowers,  and  is  a  very  fine  plant. 

The  Dianthuses  comprise  a  large  number  of  beautiful 
species,  prominent  among  which  is  Barbatus,  the  Sweet 
William.  One  can  now  get  splendid  Sweet  Williams  in 
scarlet,  salmon,  and  pink,  which  come  true  from  seed. 
As  border  plants,  I  consider  these  to  be  much  more 
desirable  than  the  Auricula-eyed,  of  which  florists  were 
once  so  proud.  The  Indian  and  Japanese  Pinks  are  also 
Dianthuses.  I  have  shown  already  how  these  can  be 
flowered  from  seed  the  same  year  by  sowing  under  glass 
in  winter  ;  but  they  may  be  sown  in  the  garden  in  June 
if  desired  for  flowering  the  following  year.  Several  of 
the  perennial  Dianthuses  are  beautiful  plants  for  the 
rock  garden,  and  of  those  which  can  be  raised  from  seed 
I  may  name  Caesius,  the  Cheddar  Pink,  rose  ;  Deltoides, 
the  Maiden  Pink,  rose,  and  its  white  variety,  Albus ; 
Neglectus,  rosy  carmine  ;  and  Superbus,  rose. 

Dictamnus  Albus^  the  Fraxinella  or  so-called  "  Burn- 
ing  Bush,"    is    a   handsome    and   extraordinary   plant. 
237 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

June  After  a  hot  day  the  plant  becomes  surrounded  by  flame 
^"^5  if  a  match  is  appHed  to  it,  and  a  powerful  aroma  is 
diffused.     It  grows  three  to  four  feet  high. 

Digitalis  Purpurea  is  our  old  friend  the  Foxglove,  and 
handsome  spotted  forms  of  it  can  be  got.  The  varietal 
name  of  Gloxiniaeflora  indicates  what  the  florist  has 
aimed  at.  Foxglove  seed  may  be  broadcasted  in  the 
wild  garden,  where  the  tall  spikes  of  bloom  are  very 
effective. 

The  Doronicums  (Leopard's  Banes),  which  rank 
amongst  the  most  useful  of  yellow-flowered  perennials 
on  account  of  their  early  blooming,  may  be  raised  from 
seed. 

The  Drabas  (Whitlow  Grass)  are  pretty  rock  plants, 
and  flower  freely.  Alpina,  yellow,  is  one  of  the  best 
known. 

The  Dracocephalums,  or  Dragons'  Heads,  have  the 
merit  of  remaining  long  in  bloom.  Ruyschiana  and  its 
variety  Japonicum,  the  former  with  deep  lilac  and  the 
latter  with  purple  flowers,  are  perhaps  the  best.  I  have 
found  them  to  do  almost  equally  well  on  clayey  and 
chalky  soils. 

Dryas  Octopetala  is  a  charming  trailing  evergreen,  with 
large  white  flowers  that  resemble  Anemones.  It  is  suit- 
able for  the  rockery. 

The  Echinaceas  have  been  described  as  "  purple  Sun- 
flowers." They  are  tall  plants,  reaching  four  feet  in 
height. 

Echinops  Ritro  reminds  the  amateur  of  the  sea 
Hollies,  with  its  metallic  blue,  steel-like  flowers.  It 
grows  about  three  feet  high.  One  sometimes  sees  it  in  a 
collection  of  hardy  flowers  at  a  show,  and  is  arrested  by 
its  unique  appearance. 

Ereniuri. — Very  few  hardy  plants  have  grown  in 
238 


ROSE   TIME 

favour  so  rapidly  as  the  "  Himalayan  Asphodels,"  as  the  June 
Eremuri  are  picturesquely  termed.  They  form  a  rosette  ^"^5 
of  narrow-pointed  green  leaves  close  to  the  ground,  and 
throw  up  flower  stems  six  to  ten  feet  in  height,  crowned 
by  huge  spikes  of  bloom.  They  flower  in  early  summer, 
and  retain  their  beauty  a  considerable  time.  Plants  are 
sufficiently  dear  to  render  planting  in  quantity  too  ex- 
pensive for  many  amateurs,  and  yet  the  Eremuri  are  the 
most  impressive  in  colonies.  In  these  circumstances 
the  flower  lover  may  do  well  to  turn  to  seeds  as  a  source 
of  supply,  because  he  can  raise  stock  economically  by 
their  means.  Bungei,  yellow ;  and  Himalaicus,  white, 
are  the  species  most  sought  after.  Robustus,  pink,  is 
very  good ;  and  a  word  should  be  said  for  the  early 
variety  of  Bungei,  Praecox. 

Erianthus  Ravennae. — Among  the  hardy  perennial 
ornamental  Grasses  Erianthus  Ravennae,  the  "Wool 
Grass,"  may  be  mentioned.  It  is  a  handsome  Grass, 
growing  to  six  feet  high,  and  with  pretty  feathery 
stems. 

Erigerons. — Several  of  the  Fleabanes  are  useful  border 
plants,  notably  Aurantiacus,  the  "  Orange  Daisy,"  and 
Speciosus,  violet.  Erodium  Manescavi,  the  crimson 
Heron's  Bill,  is  also  useful. 

The  Sea  Hollies  (Eryngiums)  are  metallic-looking 
flowers,  the  petals  of  which  might  almost  be  supposed  at  a 
distance  to  be  made  of  blue  steel.  They  impart  a  feature 
of  interest  and  distinctiveness  to  the  border,  and  the 
flowers  may  be  dried  for  winter  vases.  Planum,  blue, 
is  possibly  the  best  known  species,  but  Amethystinum, 
blue,  and  Giganteum,  ivory,  are  also  popular  plants. 

Eulalia  Japonica  Zebrma  is  a  beautiful  hardy  orna- 
mental Grass,  the  leaves  of  which  are  marked  with  yellow 
stripes. 

239 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

June  Eupatorium  Ageratoides  has  pretty,  white,  Ageratum- 

i~^5  like  flower  heads,  and  comes  in  very  useful  for  cutting. 
Gaillardias  are  generally  represented  in  gardens  by 
the  varieties  of  Picta,  which  are  grown  as  half-hardy 
annuals,  being  raised  from  seed  sown  under  glass  in 
spring.  There  are,  however,  some  perennial  forms, 
varieties  of  Aristata,  which  are  hardy  perennials,  and  may 
be  raised  from  seed  now. 

The  Goat's  Rue  (Galega  Officinalis),  lilac,  and  its  variety, 
Alba,  white,  are  particularly  valuable  on  account  of  the 
fact  that  they  will  grow  on  almost  any  soil.     They  do  not 
merely  live,  but  thrive  and  grow  to  large  proportions,  on 
very  poor  land.     They  last,  too,  for  a  good  many  weeks. 
The   Gentians  give  us  blue  of  so  deep  a  tone  that 
"  Gentian  blue  "  has  come  to  be  referred  to  as  a  standard 
of  richness  by  gardeners.     The  plants  are  hardy  peren- 
nials of  dwarf  growth,  suitable  for  rockwork  or  the  front 
of  borders.     The  Gentianella  (G.  Acaulis)  is  one  of  the 
finest,  the  flowers  being  not  only  extraordinarily  brilliant 
in  colour,  but  of  large  size.     It  is  glorious  in  a  mass  in 
spring.     One  finds  the  plant  a  little  baffling  sometimes. 
It  may  grow  freely,  be  perfectly  healthy,  and  form  a 
number  of  buds,  yet  fail  to  expand  any  flowers.      This  is 
sometimes — perhaps  generally — due  to  drought,  and  if 
the  soil  is  dry  when  the  plant  is  in  bud  a  soaking  of 
water  may  be  given  ;  followed,  if  the  ground  is  light  and 
poor,   with    hquid   manure.     Asclepiadea,  the  "Willow 
Gentian,"   does   best   in    shade.      It   is   taller   than   the 
majority,  growing  to  eighteen  inches  or  two  feet  high. 
Bavarica   is   a   beautiful   species,   and   likes   moist  soil. 
Pneumonanthe,   the   "  Calathian   Violet,"  is  also  good. 
Septemfida,  azure  blue,  is  a   pretty  and   easily   grown 
species  ;  and  Verna,  blue,  with  white  centre,  is  also  an 
accommodating  as  well  as  a  most  beautiful  plant.    The 
240 


ROSE   TIME 

grower  of  Gentians  from  seed  may  find  that  he  has  to  June 
exercise  patience,  as  germination  is  often  slow  unless  the  I~I5 
seed  is  perfectly  fresh. 

The  Hardy  Geraniums  or  Crane's  Bills  are  brilliant  if 
somewhat  loose-growing  plants.  Lancastriense,  a  pink- 
flowered  trailer,  is  one  of  the  most  useful. 

The  Geums  give  brilliancy  of  colour,  notably  Coc- 
cineum,  which  is  bright  scarlet.  Montanum,  a  yellow 
species,  flowering  in  spring,  is  very  useful. 

An  interesting  and  very  beautiful  plant,  which  has 
come  into  prominence  during  recent  years,  is  Cilia 
Coronopifolia.  It  grows  about  two  feet  high,  produces 
Fern-like  foliage,  and  has  Phlox-like  trusses  of  shining 
rose  flowers.  A  hardy  biennial,  it  may  be  raised  from 
seed  every  year  like  a  Sweet  William. 

Glaucium  Flavum,  the  yellow  "  Horn  Poppy,"  is  a 
beautiful  hardy  perennial,  growing  eighteen  inches  to 
two  feet  high,  and  with  large,  showy  flowers. 

The  Pearl  Everlasting  (Gnaphalium  Margaritaceum) 
bears  heads  of  white  flowers,  and  may  be  used  for  winter 
decorations. 

One  of  the  finest  foliage  plants  for  a  moist  place  is 
Gunnera  Manicata,  the  leaf  stems  of  which  are  as  thick 
as  a  wrestler's  biceps,  and  the  leaves  six  to  eight  feet 
across.  It  makes  a  grand  isolated  clump  in  a  bog 
garden. 

The  well-known  Pampas  Grass  (Gynerium,  or  Corta- 
deria  Argenteum),  with  its  stately  silver  flowers  in 
autumn,  comes  readily  from  seed.  There  is  a  pretty 
rose  variety  of  it,  and  also  one  with  variegated  leaves. 

The  Gauze  Flower  (Gypsophila  Paniculata)  comes 
readily  from  seed,  and  may  well  be  grown  in  quantity, 
because  it  is  so  useful  to  mix  in  bouquets  and  vases. 
Unlike  Ferns  and  Asparagus  it  is  the  flower  heads  that 


THE   GARDEN  WEEK   BY   WEEK 

June  are  used.  The  blossoms  are  very  small,  and  are  borne 
I-15  in  a  gauzy  mass  that  looks  very  graceful  and  pleasing 
when  spangled  over  a  bunch  of  large,  bright  flowers, 
such  as  Sweet  Peas.  It  grows  three  feet  high.  There 
is  a  dwarf  form  of  it  called  Compacta.  Gypsophila 
Repens  is  a  white-flowered  trailing  plant  for  the  rockery, 
and  there  is  a  blush  variety  of  it. 

The  ^^  French  Honeysuckle  "  (Hedysarum  Coronarium), 
with  red  flowers,  growing  about  two  feet  high,  and  its 
white  variety.  Album,  are  useful  plants. 

The  Helianthemums,  or  Sun  Roses,  are  useful  for  the 
rockery,  and  come  readily  enough  from  seed. 

One  or  two  useful  Sunflowers  (Helianthus)  are 
perennials,  notably  Orgyalis,  the  "  Willow-leaved  Sun- 
flower," which  has  slender,  drooping  leaves ;  and 
Rigidus  (Harpalium  Rigidum),  a  much  dwarfer  plant. 

The  Sweet  Rockets  or  Dame's  Violets  (Hesperis)  are 
old  favourites,  which  flower  freely,  and  have  a  strong 
violet  perfume.  The  type  Matronalis  is  purple,  and 
there  are  lilac  and  white  varieties,  also  dwarf  white  and 
violet  forms. 

The  Heucheras  are  amongst  the  most  brilliant  and 
graceful  of  hardy  perennials.  The  bright  flowers  are 
borne  on  spikes  about  two  feet  high.  The  best  known 
species  is  Sanguinea,  coral  coloured,  and  there  are  white 
and  rose  varieties  of  it.  Every  flower  lover  should  grow 
some  of  the  Heucheras  in  the  border  or  on  the  rockery. 

The  Yellow  Hawkweed  (Hieracium  Villosum),  with  its 
hoary  leaves,  is  a  useful  plant  for  borders  and  rock- 
work.  The  blend  of  colour  in  leaf  and  bloom  is 
very  uncommon. 

Hollyhocks,  as  we  saw  in  an  earlier  chapter,  may  be 
sown  under  glass  in  winter  for  blooming  in  the  garden 
the  same  year,  but  those  who  have  not  the  convenience 
242 


ROSE   TIME 

for  this,  or  prefer  to  treat  their  old  favourites  as  abso-  June 
lutely  hardy  plants,  may  sow  out  of  doors  in  June,  and  ^~^5 
transplant  in  autumn  for  flowering  the  following  year. 
One  can  buy  single  mixed  and  double  mixed,  or  separate 
colours  of  double,  such  as  scarlet,  crimson,  carmine, 
rose,  pink,  violet,  yellow,  and  white.  The  fringed,  or 
Alleghany,  Hollyhocks  are  an  interesting  and  beautiful 
type.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  seedling  Hollyhocks, 
grown  under  natural  conditions  in  the  garden  from 
seeds,  are  less  liable  to  be  attacked  by  the  fungus  which 
has  caused  so  much  injury  in  the  past  than  plants  from 
cuttings. 

A  pretty  pale  blue  North  American  Alpine  of  very 
low  growth,  and  suitable  for  moist,  peaty  ledges  in  the 
rock  garden,  is  Houstonia  caerulea.  It  is  a  dainty  little 
floral  gem,  and  comes  readily  from  seed. 

The  Perennial  Candytufts  (Iberis)  are  pretty,  free- 
flowering  plants,  suitable  for  covering  large  stones  in 
the  rock  garden,  and  for  patches  in  the  border.  Sem- 
pervirens,  the  white  evergreen  Candytuft,  comes  freely 
from  seeds. 

The  Incarvilleas  can  also  be  grown  from  seed.  Dela- 
vayi  and  Grandiflora  have  been  mentioned  in  a  previous 
chapter.  The  large,  trumpet-like  flowers  are  most  bril- 
liant in  colour,  and  the  foliage  is  handsome.  Variabilis, 
rosy  purple,  is  also  a  good  species. 

Isatis  Glauca  is  a  fine  and  graceful  plant,  bearing  light 
sprays  of  yellow  flowers.  Little  known  at  present,  it  is 
likely  to  become  a  popular  border  perennial. 

Seed  can  be  got  of  a  good  many  of  the  Torch  Lilies 
{Kniphofia  or  Tritoma),  which  give  so  fine  an  effect  in 
late  summer  and  early  autumn.  They  are  unquestion- 
ably splendid  plants,  with  their  graceful  foliage  and  tall 
stems  surmounted  by  brilliant  spikes  of  bloom.  Uvaria 
243 


THE    GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

June  (or  Aloides)  Grandiflora,  orange ;  Corallina,  scarlet  ; 
I~I5  Macowanii,  coral  dwarf  ;  Rooperi,  orange  ;  and  Tuckii, 
bright  red,  are  all  popular  kinds. 

Many  flower  lovers  will  certainly  try  some  of  the 
Everlasting  Peas  {Lathyrus)  from  seed,  particularly  the 
fine  modern  varieties  of  Latifolius,  such  as  White  Pearl, 
Pink  Beauty,  and  Splendens. 

Lavender  may  be  raised  from  seed,  and  this  fragrant 
old  favourite  makes  large  bushes,  which  will  be  drawn 
upon  freely  for  cutting. 

The  Edelweiss  (Lentopodium  Alpinum),  comes  readily 
from  seed,  and  thrives  in  poorer  soil  than  most  Alpines 
care  for. 

The  ^^  Kansas  Gay  Feather"  (Liatris  Pycnostachya)  is 
picturesquely  named,  and  it  is  a  picturesque  plant,  with 
its  tall  stem  clothed  with  bright  purplish  crimson  flowers. 
L.  Spicata,  rosy  red,  is  also  grown. 

The  Alpine  Toadflax  (Linaria  Alpina),  orange  and 
purple,  its  variety  Rosea,  and  the  "  Kenilworth  Ivy"  (L. 
Cymbalaria),  a  pretty  white  trailer,  are  useful  plants 
which  may  be  raised  from  seed. 

Linnaea  Borealis  is  a  charming  trailer  which  too  few 
people  know.  It  thrives  in  a  shady  place,  in  moist,  peaty 
soil.  The  pretty  rosy  pink  flowers  have  an  agreeable 
perfume. 

Linums. — Several  species  of  perennial  Flax  are 
available,  notably  Arboreum,  a  shrubby,  yellow 
species ;  Flavum,  also  yellow ;  Narbonense,  shrubby, 
blue  flowers,  Perenne,  blue,  and  its  white  and  rose 
varieties. 

Such  fine  Lobelias   as   Cardinalis  and   its  varieties ; 

Fulgens  and  its  varieties  (these  differ  from  Cardinalis  in 

having  purple  foliage) ;  Syphilitica,  a  fine  blue  species ; 

and  Gerardii,  a  hybrid   between   the  last   named  and 

244 


ROSE   TIME 

Cardinalis,  are  all  worthy  of  being  raised  in  quantity,  for     June 
they  make  fine  groups  and  beds.  ^"^5 

The  Honesty  (Lunaria  Biennis  or  Annua),  the  rosy 
purple  flowers  of  which  are  followed  by  silvery,  fiat 
seed  pods,  is  a  very  useful  plant  that  may  become 
naturalised,  and,  though  nominally  biennial,  grow  year 
after  year.  It  is  of  neat  habit,  and  blooms  freely,  so  that 
it  is  worthy  of  more  prominent  positions  than  those 
which  it  often  fills  in  the  wild  garden.  There  are  white, 
crimson,  and  variegated-leaved  forms  of  it,  all  of  which 
may  be  raised  from  seed.  The  seed  pods  are  very 
useful  for  winter  vases. 

The  Perennial  Lupins  give  us  some  valuable  plants, 
notably  Arboreus,  the  Tree  Lupin,  with  scented  yellow 
flowers ;  its  white  variety  Snow  Queen,  which  is  a  really 
beautiful  plant,  bearing  large  spikes  of  pure  white 
flowers ;  and  Polyphyllus,  blue,  and  its  many  varieties, 
which  include  white,  lilac,  blue  and  white,  pale  blue, 
and  rose. 

The  Perennial  Campions  (Lychnis)  are  showy  plants, 
none  more  so  than  Chalcedonica,  scarlet.  There  are 
white  and  pink  varieties  of  it.  Coronaria,  crimson,  with 
hoary  foliage,  and  its  varieties  ;  Flos-Jovis,  the  Rose 
Campion,  with  its  white  form  ;  Fulgens,  a  dwarf  scarlet 
species;  Haageana,  a  dwarf  scarlet;  Lagascae,  a  beautiful 
little  rock  plant  with  rosy  flowers  ;  and  Viscaria  Splen- 
dens,  the  scarlet  **  Catchfly  Campion,"  are  also  good. 

The  Rosy  Loosestrife  (Lythrum  Salicaria  Rosea)  is  a 
very  line  border  plant,  which  luxuriates  in  moist,  cool  soil. 

The  Musk  Mallow  (Malva  Moschata),  which  produces 
abundance  of  pink  flowers,  and  its  white  variety.  Alba, 
have  a  good  many  admirers.  Another  interesting 
"Mallow"  is  Malvastrum  Coccineum,  which  is  a  rose- 
coloured  trailer  suitable  for  the  rockery. 
245 


THE   GARDEN    WEEK    BY    WEEK 

June  The   Welsh  Poppy  (Meconopsis  Cambrica),  with   its 

^~^5  bright  pale  yellow  flowers,  is  a  pretty  dwarf  plant,  and 
there  are  orange  and  double  varieties  of  it.  More  in- 
teresting, perhaps,  to  many  is  the  Himalayan  Poppy 
(M.  Wallichii),  a  beautiful  plant,  with  large  pale  blue 
flowers. 

Michauxia  Cajnpanuloides,  called  by  some  hardy  plants- 
men  the  Persian  Bellflower,  is  a  very  beautiful  plant, 
growing  three  feet  high  or  more,  and  bearing  large  white 
flowers. 

The  Monkey  Flowers  (Mimulus)  have  been  recom- 
mended previously  as  handsome  plants  for  shady  beds, 
and  suitable  for  propagation  from  seed  under  glass  in 
winter  for  blooming  the  same  year.  But  they  may  be 
treated  as  hardy  plants  if  desired. 

The  Bergamot  (Monarda  Didyma)may  be  grown  from 
seed,  and  perfumed  plants  are  always  appreciated. 

Morina  Longifolia,  an  evergreen,  with  rose  flowers,  is 
worth  growing. 

The  Forget-me-nots  (Myosotis)  are  immensely  popular, 
and  there  is  no  wonder,  considering  how  freely  and  how 
long  they  bloom  in  spring,  and  how  pleasing  their  blue 
flowers  are.  Alpestris  and  its  white  and  rose  varieties 
are  very  popular  for  beds,  and  they  make  a  nice  carpet 
for  bulbs.  There  are  dwarf  selections,  with  blue  and 
rose  flowers  respectively,  and  one  with  yellow  leaves, 
which  make  pretty  carpets  and  margins.  Dissitiflora 
and  its  white  variety  are  great  favourites ;  they  are 
dwarf  and  they  bloom  early.  Myosotis  Palustris  is  the 
true  Forget-me-not.  It  is  a  natural  bog  plant.  The 
other  species  do  well  in  moist  soil,  but  are  not  really 
bad  in  light,  dryish  soil.  There  is  a  white  variety  of 
Palustris,  and  also  a  blue  with  a  white  eye.  Rupicola, 
with  Gentian-blue  flowers,  is  a  charming  rockery  plant. 
246 


ROSE   TIME 

Sylvatica  is  the  Wood  Forget-me-not ;  there  is  a  white     June 
variety  of  it.     All  the  Forget-me-nots  may  be  raised  in       ^~^S 
quantity   from   seed   in    summer,   and   planted   out    in 
autumn  for  flowering  in  the  following  spring, 

T/ie  Cat  Mint  (Nepeta  Mussini)  has  its  admirers. 
The  flowers  are  lavender  coloured. 

The  Nierembergias  are  graceful.  They  are  shrubby 
plants  growing  about  a  foot  high.  Gracilis,  with  white 
flowers  in  summer,  is  the  best  known. 

The  Evening  Primroses  (Oenothera)  ought  to  be  well 
represented  in  gardens,  as  they  are  free-blooming  and 
showy  plants,  whose  beauty  is  not  confined  to  eventide, 
as  the  popular  name  might  suggest.  Acaulis  or  Taraxa- 
cifolia,  a  dwarf  species  with  white  flowers,  and  its 
yellow  variety  Lutea,  are  excellent.  Biennis,  the  ordinary 
Evening  Primrose,  is  a  larger  and  looser  plant  with  pale 
yellow  flowers.  There  is  a  fine  variety  of  this  often 
grown  under  the  name  of  Lamarckiana.  Caespitosa  is 
a  beautiful  night-blooming  species,  with  immense  large, 
pure  white,  fragrant  flowers ;  it  is  one  of  the  finest  of 
all.  Drummondi  Nana  Alba  is  another  valuable  white 
sort.  Fruticosa  Major,  yellow,  is  of  medium  height 
(about  eighteen  inches),  and  is  one  of  the  most  free- 
blooming  of  all ;  the  flowers  are  yellow.  Missouriensis, 
or  Macrocarpa,  is  a  yellow-flowered  trailer,  one  of  the 
largest. 

The  Ononis,  or  Rest  Harrow,  is  a  pretty  plant. 
Rotundifolia  has  rosy  flowers  in  late  spring,  and  grows 
about  two  feet  high. 

The  Golden  Drop  (Onosma  Echioides  or  Tauricum)  is 
a  charming  yellow  flower  for  border  or  rockery,  and 
becomes  an  immense  favourite  with  all  who  grow  it. 

The  Asiatic  Bellflower  (Ostrowskia  Magnifica)  is  less 
familiar  than  the  preceding,  but  it  is  a  splendid  plant, 
247 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

June  and  worth  adding  to  any  large  border.  It  grows 
I-15  four  feet  high  or  more.  The  Hlac  flowers  are  bell- 
shaped. 

The  Poppies  (Papaver)  are,  of  course,  an  extremely 
valuable  genus,  giving  us  plants  of  rapid  growth,  hand- 
some foliage,  and  large  brilliant  flowers.  The  yellow 
Alpine  Poppy  (Alpinum),  and  its  varieties,  which  include 
white,  orange,  and  pink,  are  pretty  rockery  plants.  The 
Iceland  Poppy  (Nudicaule),  yellow,  and  its  numerous 
varieties,  among  which  white,  orange,  striped,  pale 
yellow,  and  semi-double  are  all  favourites,  are  also  ex- 
cellent for  rock  gardens,  as  well  as  for  beds.  Blooming 
abundantly  in  late  spring  and  early  summer,  their 
flowers  are  light,  graceful,  and  pleasing.  Among  the 
larger  perennial  Poppies  the  varieties  of  Orientale,  which 
grows  three  feet  high,  and  has  large  scarlet  flowers,  are 
in  great  demand  for  mixed  borders.  One  may  get 
crimson,  pink,  orange,  salmon  rose,  salmon  orange,  and 
semi-double  scarlet,  all  with  enormous  flowers.  Papaver 
Pilosum,  with  its  "  art  "  shade  of  orange  buff,  flowering 
in  late  spring,  is  a  distinct  and  attractive  Poppy  ;  it  grows 
about  a  yard  high. 

The  Pentstemon  has  now  become  a  recognised 
florists'  flower,  and  named  varieties  are  propagated  by 
means  of  cuttings  in  autumn,  but  a  splendid  collection 
can  be  grown  from  seed.  The  amateur  should  ask  for  a 
mixed  prize  strain  of  florists'  Pentstemons.  He  may,  if 
he  likes,  grow  some  of  the  species  also,  such  as  Glaber, 
violet,  a  nice  plant  for  the  rockery  ;  Murrayanus,  scarlet ; 
and  Speciosus,  violet,  a  good  rock  garden  plant.  These 
come  true  from  seed. 

Phloxes  are  on  the  same  plane  as  Pentstemons.  Most 
amateurs  hke  to  get  some  of  the  fine  florists'  varieties 
named  in  a  previous  chapter,  and  keep  them  true  by 
248 


ROSE   TIME 

cuttings  or  division  ;  but  mixed  seed  of  a  good  strain     June 
gives  some  nice  sorts.  ^~^5 

The  Large  Winder  Cherry  {Phys'dVis  Francheti),  with  its 
orange  pods  in  autumn,  is  a  fine  and  showy  perennial 
which  may  be  raised  from  seed. 

The  Chinese  Bellflower  (Platycodon)  is  a  plant  which 
grows  steadily  in  favour.  Grandiflorum  Mariesi,  with 
large,  blue,  bell-shaped  flowers  about  a  foot  high,  is  a 
splendid  plant,  and  there  is  a  white  variety  of  it. 

The  Jacob's  Ladders  (Polemonium)  are  handsome 
plants.  Caeruleum,  the  Greek  Valerian,  has  blue  flowers, 
and  there  is  a  white  variety  of  it.  One  of  the  most 
popular  is  Richardsoni  (Humile),  also  blue,  and  growing 
about  a  foot  high.  It  is  a  beautiful  and  very  useful 
plant.     The  white  variety  of  it  is  very  desirable. 

The  Polygonums. — The  finest  of  the  Knotweeds  is  that 
magnificent  cHmbing  shrub  Baldschuanicum,  one  of  the 
very  best  plants  that  we  have  for  arbours,  pillars,  and 
pergolas.  The  flowers  are  borne  in  immense  and  grace- 
ful masses,  and  are  white  or  blush.  The  plant  comes 
readily  from  seed,  and  when  it  has  got  well  established 
thinks  nothing  of  pushing  shoots  from  twelve  to  twenty 
feet  long  in  one  season.  It  is  at  its  best  in  a  rich,  moist, 
heavy  soil,  and  will  be  in  beauty  for  many  weeks. 

The  Cinque/oils  (Potentillas),  with  their  Strawberry- 
like leaves  and  brilliant  flowers,  single  and  double,  are  a 
good  deal  sought  after. 

Pratia  angulata,  a  creeping  plant  for  the  rock  garden, 
is  grown  as  much  for  the  large,  violet  berries  as  for  the 
white  flowers.     It  likes  a  moist,  cool  place. 

The  Primroses  (Primula  species  and  varieties)  make 

a  claim  on  our  attention  which  cannot  be  denied.      The 

Primrose   proper   (Vulgaris)  is   yellow,  and   a   wilding, 

but  florists  have  given  us  splendid  strains  of  coloured 

249 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY    WEEK 

June  varieties,  large  in  bloom,  rich  and  varied  in  hue,  and  re- 
I~I5  markably  free-flowering.  Beginning  to  bloom  in  spring 
as  small  plants  from  the  previous  summer's  sowing,  they 
grow  as  they  flower,  and  in  rich,  holding  soil  make  huge 
clumps  which  can  be  divided  after  flowering.  The  New 
Blue  Primrose  is  a  particularly  fine  variety.  The  Poly- 
anthus (Primula  Variabilis)  is  scarcely  inferior  to  the 
Primrose  ;  in  fact  the  two  plants  may  be  grown  in  the 
closest  possible  association.  Very  large  flowers,  and 
considerable  diversity  of  beautiful  colours — cream,  prim- 
rose, yellow,  white,  rose,  lilac,  crimson,  scarlet,  blue,  and 
purple  distinguish  the  Polyanthus.  The  Ox-lip  (Primula 
Elatior)  is  represented  by  several  pretty  colours.  Among 
the  species,  Denticulata,  lilac ;  Japonica,  purplish  crim- 
son, best  in  moist  places  ;  Farinosa  (Bird's-eye  Primrose), 
lilac,  silvery  foliage,  an  early  bloomer ;  Pulverulenta,  a 
new  violet  Chinese  species  with  mealy  stems ;  Rosea, 
rosy  carmine  ;  Sikkimensis  (Himalayan  Cowslip),  yellow  ; 
Verticillata  (Abyssinian  Primrose),  citron,  very  fragrant ; 
Villosa,  rose,  nice  for  the  rockery ;  and  Viscosa,  rose, 
white  centre,  are  all  desirable.  Seed  can  be  got  of 
several  charming  varieties  in  most  cases ;  thus,  Cash- 
miriana  is  a  fine  form  of  Denticulata ;  there  are  white, 
rose,  carmine,  crimson,  and  striped  varieties  of  Japonica  ; 
there  is  a  large  form  of  Rosea  called  Grandiflora  ;  and 
there  are  purple  and  violet  varieties  of  Villosa.  The 
Sieboldii  hybrids  are  beautiful  Primulas,  and  can  be 
bought  in  mixed  colours.  The  Primroses  are  so  beauti- 
ful, so  varied  in  habit  and  colour,  so  useful  alike  for 
beds,  borders,  and  rockwork,  so  early  blooming,  so  easily 
grown,  that  they  are  well  worthy  of  special  study. 

The  Self-heal  (Prunella  Grandiflora)  is  a  purple- 
flowered  dwarf  perennial,  flowering  in  early  summer. 

The  Florists  Pyrethrums  are  frequently  grown  under 
250 


ROSE   TIME 

name   and   increased  by  division  ;    but  seeds   of  good      June 
mixed  single  and   double    strains   are  procurable,    and       I-I5 
will    yield    pretty  varieties    of    different    colours.      The 
Fern-like  foliage  of  these  Pyrethrums,  pushed  early  in 
spring,  is  attractive. 

The  Ramondias  were  specially  mentioned  in  my 
previous  notes  on  rock  plants,  and  I  need  only  add  now 
that  they  may  be  raised  from  seed  if  desired. 

Romneya  Coulteri,  the  Californian  Tree  Poppy,  with 
its  large,  shimmering  white  flowers,  the  beauty  of  which 
is  greatly  enhanced  by  the  golden  stamens  and  cut 
leaves,  is  a  glorious  plant,  and  one  which  every  grower 
of  hardy  plants  ought  to  try.  It  is  of  shrubby  habit. 
Although  nominally  hardy,  it  should  be  given  a  sheltered 
position,  where,  in  deep  rich  soil,  it  will  grow  into  a 
splendid  object  in  June. 

The  Cone  Flowers  (Rudbeckia)  are  largely  grown  in 
herbaceous  borders,  and  Newmanii,  or  Speciosa,  which 
grows  about  eighteen  inches  high,  and  bears  orange- 
yellow,  dark-centred  flowers  in  July,  is  particularly 
popular.  Californica,  yellow  and  brown,  is  a  much 
taller  plant.  Laciniata  Flore  Pleno  (Golden  Glow),  with 
double  yellow  flowers,  is  very  fine.  All  of  these  can  be 
grown  from  seed. 

Two  at  least  of  the  perennial  Soapworts  (Saponaria) 
are  worth  growing — Ocymoides,  a  pink  trailer,  flowering 
late  in  spring  ;  and  Officinalis  Flore  Pleno,  double  rose, 
fragrant,  blooming  in  summer. 

The  Saxifrages  are  dainty  rock  plants,  and  it  is 
highly  interesting  to  grow  them  from  seed.  Practically 
all  are  spring  bloomers.  Aizoon,  white,  leaves  with 
silvery  margins,  dwarf ;  Cordifolia  Splendens  (Megasea), 
crimson,  a  relatively  large  plant,  with  broad,  thick,  ever- 
green leaves ;  Cotyledon,  with  red  spots,  silvery  foliage, 
251 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

June  a  tall  plant ;  Hostii,  white  with  purple  spots,  leaves  en- 
^"^5  crusted  with  silver,  dwarf ;  Hypnoides,  white,  dwarf ; 
Longifolia,  white,  graceful  spikes  eighteen  inches  high, 
leaves  encrusted  with  silver  ;  Muscoides  Atropurpurea, 
purplish  rose,  dwarf ;  and  Macnabiana,  white  with 
crimson  spots,  twelve  to  eighteen  inches  high,  are  a  few 
specially  interesting  Saxifrages  which  may  be  raised 
from  seed. 

The  Caucasian  Scabious  (Scabiosa  Caucasica)  is  one 
of  our  best  hardy  perennials,  as  the  large  blue  flowers 
are  particularly  rich  in  colour.  It  grows  about  two  feet 
high,  and  blooms  in  summer.  There  is  a  white  variety 
of  it. 

The  Stonecrops  (Sedum)  are  much  esteemed  as  rockery 
plants,  particularly  Amplexicaule,  yellow ;  Rupestre, 
yellow ;  Fabaria,  pink ;  and  Sempervivoides,  scarlet. 
Seed  of  all  these  can  be  got. 

The  Houseleeks  (Sempervivum)  are  greatly  valued  for 
the  rockery.  Arachnoideum,  the  Cobweb  Houseleek, 
rosy  flowers  in  summer,  is  one  of  the  best  known. 

Senecio  Macrophyllus  is  a  particularly  fine  species  of 
Groundsel,  with  broad  leaves,  and  large  corymbs  of 
yellow  flowers,  which  are  produced  in  late  summer. 

Two  or  three  of  the  Catchflies  (Silene)  are  charming 
perennial  plants,  notably  Acaulis,  very  dwarf,  rosy 
flowers,  a  spring  and  summer  bloomer  well  suited  to 
the  rockery  ;  Schafta,  rose,  dwarf,  a  summer  bloomer ; 
and  Alpestris  (Alpine  Catchfly),  white,  dwarf,  flowering 
in  late  spring  and  early  summer. 

The  Moonwort  (Soldanella  Alpina)  with  pretty 
fringed  violet  flowers  in  spring,  is  a  suitable  plant  for 
the  rockery. 

The  Golden  Rods  (Solidago)  are  tall,  late  blooming 
plants,  with  dense  spikes  of  yellow  flowers. 
252 


ROSE   TIME 

The  Sea  Lavenders  (Statice)  are  popular  on  account  June 
of  their  graceful  habit  and  charming  shades  of  colour.  I~I5 
Incana  Hybrida,  which  varies  from  pink  to  blue,  blooms 
in  summer,  and  grows  about  a  foot  high ;  Latifolia, 
lavender,  a  summer  bloomer,  two  to  three  feet  high  ;  and 
Suworowi,  rosy  purple,  one  foot,  summer  bloomer,  are 
all  very  desirable  plants. 

Brompton  Stocks  are  among  the  most  popular  of 
hardy  biennials.  Sown  in  summer,  thinned,  and  planted 
out  in  autumn,  they  will  form  beautiful  breaks  of  colour 
in  spring.  They  can  be  bought  in  separate  colours,  such 
as  yellow,  flesh,  rose,  crimson,  white,  carmine,  blue, 
and  violet,  if  desired,  or  in  mixture.  The  popularity 
of  the  Ten-week  Stocks  tends  to  obscure  these  fine 
biennials,  but  it  ought  to  have  the  opposite  effect. 

Siveet  Williams  were  mentioned  in  the  remarks  on 
the  genus  Dianthus,  and  as  there  said,  they  are  amongst 
the  best  of  hardy  biennials,  admirably  adapted  for 
summer  sowing,  autumn  planting,  and  late  spring  and 
summer  blooming. 

The  Meadow  Rues  (Thalictrum)  are  interesting  and 
attractive  on  account  of  their  Maidenhair-like  foliage. 
Adiantifolium  and  Aquilegifolium  are  both  very  useful 
hardy  border  plants  ;  in  neither  case  are  the  flowers 
conspicuous. 

The  Spiderwort  (Tradescantia  Virginica)  is  worth 
growing.  There  are  several  varieties  of  it,  which  can  be 
bought  in  mixture. 

The  Globe  Flowers  (Trollius)  can  be  raised  from  seed 
if  desired,  and  are  useful  spring  bloomers,  with  yellow 
or  orange  flowers. 

Tunica  Saxifraga,  a  dwarf  plant  which  bears  masses 
of  white  flowers  in  early  summer,  has  a  good  many 
admirers. 

253 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

June  The  Mulleins  (Verbascum),  notably  Olympicum,  are 

^~^5      tall    plants,   with    spikes    of    yellow    flowers    in    early 
summer. 

The  Speedwells  (Veronica)  may  be  raised  from  seed, 
and  Gentianoides,  with  its  bright  blue  flowers,  is  one  of 
the  best  known.  There  is  a  larger  variety  of  it  named 
Major,  and  one  with  variegated  leaves. 

Violas  and  Pansies  may  be  raised  in  summer,  although 
florists'  named  varieties  are  generally  grown  from 
cuttings.  Pansies  that  are  sown  under  glass  in  late 
winter  bloom  the  same  year,  but  seeds  may  be  sown 
outdoors  in  summer  for  yielding  plants  to  flower  the 
following  year.  Many  of  the  large  seedsmen  have  their 
own  special  strains  of  show  and  fancy  Pansies,  but  the 
majority  offer  such  strains  as  Cassier's  and  Trimar- 
dean,  which  are  very  good. 

Wallflowers  must  be  raised  in  quantity  for  spring 
bedding,  their  evergreen  foliage,  bright  colours,  and 
delicious  perfume  rendering  them  universal  favourites. 
Several  named  varieties,  such  as  Belvoir  Castle,  a  dwarf 
yellow  of  brilliant  colour  ;  Cloth  of  Gold,  yellow:  Blood 
Red,  dark  red  ;  Eastern  Queen,  chamois  ;  Harbinger, 
early  red ;  and  Tom  Thumb,  a  dwarf  yellow,  come  true 
from  seed.  The  double  Wallflowers  are  also  fine  plants. 
If  care  is  taken  to  grow  Wallflowers  thinly,  and  to  set 
them  out  a  foot  apart  in  summer,  they  make  sturdy, 
bushy  plants,  and  bloom  abundantly  in  April  and 
May.  They  do  not  give  half  their  beauty  when 
allowed  to  stand  thickly  in  the  seed  beds  for  several 
months. 

The  long  lists  of    plants  given    shows  what  a  vast 

amount  of  beautiful  material  can  be  raised  in  Nature's 

own    way — through    the    medium    of    seeds — for    the 

decoration    of    flower    gardens.      The    great    majority 

254 


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ROSE   TIME 

may    be    raised     in     early    summer    and    planted    in      June 
autumn.  ^"^5 

Planting  Dahlias. — Early  in  June  is  not  too  late  to 
plant.  With  deep,  well-worked,  manured  soil,  and 
sturdy  plants,  success  will  follow.  The  plants  should 
be  made  quite  firm  in  the  soil  and  given  a  good 
watering.  Put  them  at  least  a  yard  apart,  and  give 
them  their  stakes  at  once. 

Potting  Chrysanthemums. — Florists'  Chrysanthemums, 
raised  from  cuttings  in  winter,  repotted,  hardened  in  an 
unheated  frame,  and  deprived  of  their  first  buds,  must 
be  placed  in  their  flowering  pots  soon.  Growers  for 
exhibition  use  large  pots,  and  a  compost  the  principal 
component  of  which  is  fibrous  loam.  The  pots  should 
not  be  smaller  than  eight  inches  across  at  the  top,  and 
need  not  be  larger  than  nine  inches.  A  fourth  of  leaf 
mould  and  a  liberal  dash  of  coarse  sand  should  be  added 
to  the  loam,  and  the  whole  well  mixed.  The  pots  should 
be  well  drained  with  crocks  protected  by  moss  or  flakes 
of  leaf  mould.  The  compost  must  be  well  rammed 
round  the  ball,  so  as  to  be  made  quite  hard.  A  space  of 
two  inches  should  be  left  at  the  top  for  holding  water. 
The  plants  should  be  shaded  for  a  few  days,  but  after 
they  have  started  growing  again  they  may  stand  on  a 
bed  of  cinders  in  the  full  sun.  It  is  not  a  bad  plan  to 
shade  the  pots,  however,  as  if  the  sun  is  prevented  from 
striking  directly  on  to  them  water  will  not  be  wanted  so 
often.  Great  attention  should  be  devoted  to  watering 
throughout  the  summer,  as  if  the  soil  gets  absolutely 
dry,  and  breaks  away  from  the  side  of  the  pot,  the  plants 
are  sure  to  suffer. 

Seedling  Cinerarias  and  Primulas,  raised  by  sowing 
seed  a  few  weeks  previously,  may  be  getting  crowded 
255 


June 
1-15 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

now,  as  they  will  have  formed  rough  leaves.  Any  time 
after  that  stage  has  been  reached,  they  may  be  pricked 
off  three  inches  apart  in  other  boxes,  or,  if  3-inch  pots 
are  available,  singly  in  these. 


Fruit 

Grape    Vines. — With    the    increased    sun    heat,    the 
temperature  of  vineries  will  run  up  to  85°  or  90°,  and 

artificial  means  of  heat- 
ing will  be  required  no 
longer.  It  does  not 
matter  how  high  the 
temperature  rises  so  long 
as  the  ventilators  are 
managed  properly,  and 
plenty  of  water  is  used 
to  prevent  dryness.  If 
the  grower  cannot  trust 
himself  to  rise  early  in 
the  morning,  he  should 
leave  the  ventilators  open 
an  inch  all  night.  It  is 
dangerous  to  leave  a 
house  closed,  even  till 
eight  o'clock,  on  a  sum- 
mer morning,  especially 
after  a  spell  of  dull 
weather,  as  air  moisture 
will  have  condensed   on 


Fig.  39.— Thinning  Grapes. 

a.  Bunch  unthinned. 

b.  Bunch  thinned,  and  berries  swelling 

evenly. 

c.  Point  berries  which  must  not  be  cut 

out. 

d.  Side  berries  which  must  be  cut  off,  as 

denoted  by  the  dark  cross  lines. 


the   berries,  and   if   the  sun   comes  out  suddenly  and 
dries  this  up  the  berries  will  "  scald."     Grapes  on  Vines 
that  started  without  any  artificial  heat  will  now  be  at  the 
thinning  stage,  and  should  be  attended  to, 
256 


ROSE   TIME 

Thinning  Peaches  and  Nectarines. — These  fruits  will 
now  be  swelling  fast.  There  is  always  a  temptation  to 
keep  every  fruit  which  sets,  but 
it  should  be  overcome  if  the 
crop  is  heavy.  Two  fruits  may 
be  permitted  on  strong  shoots, 
but  only  one  on  weak  ones. 
Should  the  amateur  feel  in 
doubt,  let  him  content  himself 
with  two  fruits  to  every  square 
foot  of  space  which  the  tree 
covers. 

American  Blight. — Should  any 
white  fluffy  tufts  begin  to  gather 
on  fruit  trees,  attack  them  at 
once  with  a  few  drops  of  methy- 
lated spirit.  A  brown  aphis 
lurks  beneath  the  fluff,  the 
common  name  of  which  is 
American  Blight.  It  is  one  of 
the  worst  of  all  fruit  enemies,  and  must  not  be  allowed 
to  spread. 

Strawberries. — Fruit  will  be  showing  in  the  rows,  and 
clean  straw  should  be  laid  between  the  plants  in  order  to 
keep  the  berries  from  contact  with  the  soil.  Lawn  mow- 
ings do  not  make  a  good  substitute,  as  the  Grass  adheres 
to  the  berries  when  wet.  Remember  that  keen  bird  eyes 
are  watching  the  Strawberries,  and  that  hungry  black- 
birds and  other  feathered  enemies  will  swoop  down  as 
soon  as  colouring  begins.  Fish  netting  must  be  called 
into  use  as  a  protection.  If  there  is  plenty  of  it,  it  may 
be  fixed  on  a  framework  a  few  feet  above  the  plants,  then 
the  grower  can  gain  access  to  all  the  fruit  by  lifting  the 
netting  at  one  corner.  If  laid  just  above  the  rows,  it  has 
257  R 


June 
1-15 


Fig.  40.— Thinning  Peaches, 


a.  The  right  fruits  to  retain. 

b.  The  ones  to  be  removed. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

June     to  be  raised  all  along  to  get  at  the  fruit.     If  early  plants 
^~^5      are  wanted  for  forcing,  the  tips  of  runners  that  have 
formed  plantlets  may  be  removed ;  this  will  strengthen 
the  layers. 

Gooseberries. — If  the  crop  is  abundant,  some  of  the 
berries  may  be  removed  and  made  into  tarts.  The  fruit 
may  "taste  of  the  tree,"  but  the  early  gathering  helps 
the  fruit  that  is  left  to  swell  up  to  a  large  size. 

Vegetables 

Beans. — More  Runners  and  dwarf  French  Beans  may 
be  sown.  Broad  Beans  may  be  in  full  bloom ;  if  so,  a 
sharp  look-out  should  be  kept  for  black  fly  in  the 
growing  tips,  as  it  appears  about  the  time  that  the  plants 
are  in  flower.  Directly  it  is  seen,  pinch  off  the  tips  and 
destroy  them.  See  that  early  crops  of  French  Beans 
grown  in  houses  do  not  linger  on  in  a  moribund  state, 
and  get  covered  with  red  spider,  or  it  may  spread  to  the 
fruit.  Gather  the  pods  as  fast  as  they  come  into  use, 
and  remove  the  plants  directly  they  cease  cropping. 

Early  Broccoli  and  Brussels  Sprouts. — Early  varieties 
of  Broccoli  grown  for  use  in  autumn,  also  Brussels 
Sprouts,  may  now  be  planted  out  if  there  is  a  piece  of 
ground  at  liberty.  A  few  forward  rows  of  Peas  or  Pota- 
toes will  sometimes  make  room  for  them.  The  ground 
should  be  made  firm.  Two  and  a  half  feet  apart  all 
ways  will  not  be  too  much. 

Celery. — Where  ground  is  at  liberty,  a  trench  of  Celery 
may  be  prepared  in  the  manner  previously  advised,  and 
planted.  Give  a  good  watering  afterwards,  and  shade 
the  trench  if  the  weather  is  very  hot. 

Rosette  Colewort. — This  useful  little  Green  is  very  good 
for  sowing  on  any  piece  of  spare  ground  in  the  kitchen 
258 


ROSE  TIME 

garden  in  early  June.     It  is  neat  and  compact  in  growth, 
and  therefore  will  do  a  foot  apart. 

Late  Peas. — A  last  sowing  of  Peas  may  be  made,  if 
there  is  ground  available.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  draw  a 
wide  drill  three  inches  deep,  and  give  it  a  soaking  of 
liquid  manure  before  sprinkling  in  the  seed. 

Leeks. — Plants  raised  in  March  or  April  will  now  be 
strong,  and  may  be  planted  nine  inches  apart  in  drills 
six  inches  deep  and  eighteen  inches  asunder.  The  soil 
ought  to  be  deep  and  rich. 

Hoeing. — Regular  hoeing  will  be  needed  to  keep  down 
weeds,  and  there  is  a  further  incentive  to  practising  it  in 
the  fact  that  by  crumbling  the  soil  it  prevents  cracking 
and  checks  the  escape  of  moisture.  I  believe  that  I  have 
already  mentioned  the  Sproughton  hoe.  This  some- 
what expensive  but  valuable  tool  is  a  great  aid  to  rapid 
work.  It  may  be 
used  in  all  cases 
where  a  Dutch  or 
push  hoe  is  appli- 
cable, and  in  part 
also  where  a  draw 
hoe  would  be  used, 
but  is  not  a  good 
substitute  for  the 
latter  where  a  mat 
of  strong  weeds  has 
to  be  chopped  out. 
Cucumbers  in 
Frames  ought  to 
be  growing  rapidly 
now,  and  it  helps  to  keep  them  moving  if  the  frame  is 
closed  about  4  p.m.,  as  this  bottles  up  heat,  and  keeps  the 
frame  warm  throughout  the  night.  A  good  watering 
259 


June 
1-15 


Fig.  41.— Training  Frame  Cucumbers. 

Hotbed.  b.  Soil. 

Raised  mound  of  compost. 
,  How  to  stop  the  plants  at  the  dark  lines. 

How  side  shoots  will  then  grow  and  bear  fruit. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY    WEEK 

June  should  be  given  at  the  time  of  closing,  as  this  maintains 
^~^5  a  moist  atmosphere,  which  is  favourable  to  healthy 
progress.  The  principal  shoots  should  be  pegged  down 
to  the  bed  at  a  sufficient  distance  apart  to  prevent 
crowding.  Fruit  will  form  on  the  side  shoots,  which 
should  be  pinched  a  leaf  beyond  the  fruit. 

Carrot  Maggot. — If  any  plants  in  the  Carrot  bed  are 
seen  to  be  turning  rusty,  they  should  be  removed  and 
burned,  the  bed  thinned,  the  soil  trodden  firmly  against 
the  crowns,  and  some  ashes,  moistened  with  paraffin  oil, 
sprinkled  between  the  rows.  The  trouble  brewing^ 
which  comes  from  a  small  maggot  that  hatches  from 
eggs  laid  at  the  tops  of  the  roots  by  a  fly,  will  then  be 
checked. 

Onion  Maggot. — Young  Onions  go  off  in  very  much 
the  same  way  as  Carrots,  also  from  the  attack  of  a 
maggot,  but  this  results  from  eggs  laid  on  the  leaves. 
The  foliage  should  be  rendered  distasteful  to  the  egg- 
laying  fly  by  spraying  on  a  paraffin-oil  and  soft-soap 
emulsion,  made  by  boiling  a  pound  of  soft  soap  in  a 
quart  of  water,  stirring  in  half  a  pint  of  paraffin,  and 
churning  all  up  together  with  a  syringe  in  a  tub  con- 
taining six  gallons  of  water. 


June  JUNE— Third  and  Fourth  Weeks 

16-30 

Flowers 

Fibrous-rooted  Begonias. — The  tuberous  Begonias  are 
rightly  esteemed  for  their  magnificent  flowers,  and  we 
have  seen  how  they  may  be  raised  from  seed  in  winter, 
or  grown  from  tubers  in  spring.  So  fine  are  they  that 
they  are  apt  to  overshadow  the  fibrous  section,  as  far 
as  summer  flowering  is  concerned.  The  non-tuberous 
260 


ROSE   TIME 


Begonias,  such  as  Gloire  de  Lorraine,  Turnford  Hall, 
and  Semperflorens,  are  greatly  esteemed  for  winter 
flowering  under  glass,  and  the  qualities  which  render 
them  desirable  for  that  purpose,  namely,  compact  habit, 
profuse  blooming  and  bright  colours,  distinguish  certain 
varieties  when  grown  as  flower  garden  plants  in  summer. 
Two  which  may  be  highly  re- 
commended, a  red  and  a  white, 
are  Crimson  Gem  and  Snow- 
flake.  They  make  charming 
lines  and  beds.  Young  plants 
may  be  purchased  and  planted 
now,  in  rich  moist  soil. 

Growing  fine  Fuchsias. — 
Fuchsias  that  were  struck  from 
cuttings  in  spring,  repotted  when 
rooted,  and  pinched  to  make 
them  bushy,  will  now  be  sturdy 
httle  plants.  They  may  be 
grown  into  fine  specimens  by 
giving  them  pots  two  inches 
larger,  pinching  them  again 
when  they  begin  to  make  fresh 
growth,  and  feeding  them  with 
liquid  manure  three  times  a 
week. 

Disbudding  Prize  Chrysanthe- 
mums. —  Chrysanthemums  that 
are  being  grown  in  pots  for  large  blooms  will  have 
made  good  progress.  If  treated  as  previously  advised, 
they  will  now  be  in  their  flowering  pots  (8  or  9  inch), 
and  have  three  main  stems.  Various  side  shoots  will 
break  from  these  growths,  but  they  must  not  be  allowed 
to  extend,  or  the  prospect  of  getting  fine  flowers  will 
261 


June 
16-30 


Fig.  42.— Stopping  Fuchsias. 

a.  Tip  to  be  removed  at  the 

dark  line. 

b.  Tlie      first      side      shoots 

growing. 

c.  The  second  lot  of  shoots, 

resulting    from  the   next 
stopping. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY    WEEK 


June 
16-30 


be  very  poor.  As  fast  as  breastwood  shows,  it  should  be 
pinched  out,  thus  restricting  the  plants  to  three  shoots. 
It  is  natural  for  Chrysanthemums  to  form  this  trio  of 
main  growths.  The  shoots  start  after  the  production  of 
an  early  flower  bud,  either  in  April  or  May,  and  grow  on 
throughout  the  remainder  of  the  year,  eventually  pro- 
ducing one  large  flower  each.  If  the  side  shoots  which 
start  from  them  were  allowed  to  extend  at  will,  the 
energies  of  the  plants  would  be  spread  over  a  greater 
number  of  shoots.  More  flowers  would  be  produced, 
but  they  would  be  smaller.  When  the  plants  are  stood 
out  of  doors  for  the  summer,  the  three  growths  should 

be  tied  to  stakes, 
in  order  to  guard 
against  their  being 
broken  by  gales. 
The  position 
chosen  should  be 
a  sheltered  one,  if 
possible,  but  not 
overshadowed  by 
large  trees.  The 
plants  benefit  by 
full  exposure  to 
sun. 

Hardy  Biennials 
and  Perennials. — ■ 
Seeds  may  be  sown 
as  advised  in  the 
previous  section. 
A  task  that  will  be  likely  to  call  for  early  performance  in 
herbaceous  borders  is  that  of  staking.  The  plants  will  be 
full  of  growth  now,  and  many  will  be  developing  flower 
stems,  The  habit  of  the  plants,  and  their  behaviour  under 
262 


Fig.  43.— Staking  Herbaceous  Plants. 
a.  The  wrong  way.  b.  The  right  way. 


ROSE   TIME 

exposure  to  strong  wind,  will  give  the  grower  a  ready 
guide  to  their  requirements.  Dwarf,  bushy,  compact 
plants  like  Paeonies  will  not  need  stakes,  but  tall  colum- 
nar growers,  such  as  Michaelmas  Daisies,  will  certainly 
call  for  support.  It  is  frequently  better  to  fix  three 
stakes  to  one  plant,  and  loop  string  round  them,  thus 
enclosing  the  growths,  than  to  use  one  stake  and  tie  the 
plant  tightly  round  the  middle.  A  little  extra  expenditure 
in  stakes  is  fully  compensated  for  by  the  more  graceful 
and  natural  appearance  of  the  plants.  Herbaceous 
plants  that  are  growing  in  poor,  shallow  soil  will  be 
greatly  benefited  by  soakings  of  water  and  liquid 
manure.  One  sometimes  sees  plants  doing  badly  when 
the  soil  is  apparently  moist  and  fertile.  Before  the 
amateur  seeks  for  some  secret  cause,  let  him  note  if  there 
are  large  trees,  such  as  Elms,  or  a 
large  hedge,  such  as  Laurels,  near. 
If  so,  he  may  safely  assume  that 
the  roots  have  got  into  the  her- 
baceous border,  and  are  making 
the  most  of  the  good  things  which 
he  has  put  there.  The  more  freely 
he  manures,  the  more  eagerly  the 
roots  will  come.  One  way  of 
coping  with  a  difficulty  of  this 
kind  is  to  cut  a  trench  between 
the  border  and  the  hedge  or  trees, 
and  sever  any  roots  which  are 
found.  ^i*^'  44.— Disbudding  Roses. 

Insuring  fine  Roses.— W\'&).  the  «•  ^rSined''^"^'^'  ^"*^ '°  ^ 
Rose  season  close  upon  us,  we  can 
do  a  great  deal  to  insure  fine  flowers 
by  thinning  the  buds  and  feeding  the  plants  with  liquid 
manure.  The  flower  buds  generally  come  in  clusters, 
963 


June 
16-30 


Small  side  buds  to  be  re- 
moved at  the  dark  lines. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

June  the  central  or  "  crown "  bud  being  the  largest.  This 
16-30  buci  makes  a  much  finer  flower  if  the  outer  buds  are 
picked  off  than  it  would  do  if  the  whole  of  the  cluster 
were  left.  But  the  grower  should  only  disbud  a  selected 
number  of  show  varieties  ;  to  make  a  general  practice  of 
it  would  deprive  Rose  gardens  of  much  of  their  beauty. 

It  should  certainly  not 
be  adopted  with  dis- 
tinctly garden  Roses 
like  Griiss  an  Teplitz, 
nor  with  climbers. 

Propagating  Mai- 
niaison  Carnations. — 
The  Malmaison  Car- 
nation has  a  large 
following  still,  although 
it  may  have  suffered 
somewhat  owing  to  the 
rise  of  the  American 
section.  When  grown 
successfully,  the  Mal- 
maisons  have  immense 
white,  blush,  pink,  rose 
or  crimson  flowers, 
sweetly  scented. 
Princess  of  Wales, 
Mrs.  Trelawny,  Lady 
varieties.     Growers    of 


Fig.  45.— Layering  Carnations. 
a.  Part  of  the  old  plant.  b.  The  layer. 

c.  Stem  cut  and  pebble  inserted. 

d.  Stem  denuded  of  leaves. 

e.  Soil  in  which  the  layer  is  pegged. 

f.  Original  soil. 


Carlisle,  and  Thora  are  good 
them  who  have  plants  may  multiply  them  by  layering 
the  young  growths  on  the  outside  of  the  old  ones.  It 
facilitates  this  operation  if  a  bed  of  loam,  leaf  mould,  and 
sand  can  be  made  in  a  frame,  and  the  Carnations  planted 
in  it.  A  slit  an  inch  long  may  be  made  by  running  a 
knife  along  half-way  through  the  stem,  and  pegging  the 
264 


ROSE   TIME 

latter  down  to  the  soil.  When  roots  have  pushed  freely,  June 
the  stem  can  be  cut  through,  and  the  young  plant  thus  I0~30 
severed  from  its  parent. 

Azaleas,  Camellias,  Deiitzias,  and  Lilacs. — These  plants, 
grown  for  spring  flowering,  will  now  be  out  of  bloom, 
and  it  benefits  them,  as  well  as  saves  labour  in  watering, 
to  stand  them  out  of  doors  with  the  pots  plunged  in 
ashes. 

Privet  Hedges. — Its  capacity  for  establishing  itself  in 
the  poorest  of  soils,  its  rapid  growth,  and  its  reputed 
evergreen  nature  (it  is  not  a  genuine  evergreen)  cause 
the  oval-leaved  Privet  to  be  largely  used  as  a  hedge 
plant.  It  is  benefited  by  being  pruned  twice  a  year, 
the  first  time  at  the  end  of  June,  and  the  second  about 
the  end  of  September.  This  is  exclusive  of  the  cutting- 
back  at  planting  time — a  practice  that  ought  never  to 
be  neglected,  as  it  conduces  to  making  the  plants  thick 
at  the  base. 

Pruning  Flowering  Shrubs. — The  great  majority  of  the 
flowering  shrubs  bear  their  best  flowers  on  shoots  made 
the  previous  year.  This  means  that  the  proper  time  for 
pruning  them  is  after  they  have  bloomed,  because  then 
the  wood  which  has  borne  flowers  can  be  removed,  and 
the  plant  will  have  several  months  before  it  in  which  to 
make  fresh  shoots  for  blooming  the  following  season. 

Fruit 

Thinniftg  Fruit. — It  is  not  often  that  amateur  fruit 
growers  practise  thinning.  They  are  too  pleased  to 
have  the  fruit  to  part  with  any  of  it.  This  is  all  very 
well  in  its  way,  but  it  is  possible  to  have  too  much  even 
of  a  good  thing.  There  are  years  in  which  fruit  trees 
escape  all  the  obstacles  to  heavy  cropping — frosts  and 
265 


THE    GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

June     insects  included — in  so  remarkable  a  degree  as  to  be 
16-30     roped  with  fruit  from  top  to  bottom.     If  the  whole  of 

the  crop  ripened,  two 
things  might  be  counted 
on  :  very  small  indi- 
vidual fruits,  and  a  poor 
crop  the  following  year. 
It  is  a  safe  rule  with 
Apples  and  Pears  to 
leave  only  two  fruits 
on  each  spur ;  if  large 
fruits  are  wanted,  only 
one  should  be  allowed. 
Any  thinning  that  is 
required  should  be  done 
now,  before  the  fruit 
has  swollen  much. 
.0 


Fig.  46.— Thinning  Apples. 
a.  The  right  fruits  to  retain. 
6.  The  fruits  to  be  removed. 


Su7nmer  Pruning. — 
Fruit  growers  differ 
as  to  the  best  time  for 
and  method  of  sum- 
mer pruning,  but  there 
are  very  few  who 
do  not  believe  that 
summer  pruning  of 
some  kind  is  good. 
It  prevents  the  sum- 
mer side  shoots, 
or  breast -wood,  on 
which  it  is  practised, 
from  getting  into  a 
crowded  mass,  and 
by  exposing  the  older 
wood  to  sun  and  air 


Fig.  47.— Summer  Pruning  :  Apple. 

a.  Side  shoots  to  be  shortened. 

b.  Side  shoots  not  to  be  shortened. 

c.  Leading  shoot  not  to  be  shortened. 


facilitates  wood 
266 


pening,  whicl) 


ROSE   TIME 

is  favourable  to  fruitfulness.  Some  growers  like  to  June 
operate  twice  :  the  first  time  about  the  middle  of  June,  i"~30 
when  the  shoots  have  extended  a  few  inches,  and  when 
the  tip  is  nipped  off ;  the  second  about  the  end  of 
July,  when  the  secondary  shoots  which  have  broken  as 
a  result  of  the  first  pinching  are  stopped.  Others  prefer 
to  make  one  operation  of  it,  and  prune  only  at  the  end 
of  July  or  in  the  early  part  of  August,  shortening  the 
shoots  then  to  six  leaves.  Experiments  are  interesting, 
and  fruit  growers  may  try  both  plans,  and  compare 
results. 

Watering  Wall  Fruit  Trees. — Fruit  trees  on  walls 
are  apt  to  suffer  from  drought  in  hot  weather,  and 
when  they  fall  into  ill-health  the  grower  strains  his 
inventive  faculties  to  find  a  reason  for  it.  The  handle 
of  his  pump  will  often  solve  the  problem.  Weakly, 
canker-stricken,  and  heavily  cropped  trees  are  all  greatly 
improved  by  waterings  that  are  followed  by  soakings  of 
liquid  manure. 

Red  Spider  on  Vines. — Red  spider  sometimes  attacks 
Vines  which  are  swelling  up  a  crop  of  fruit,  and  unless 
it  is  checked  does  much  damage.  A  simple  remedy  is 
to  paint  the  hot-water  pipes  with  sulphur  wash,  and 
then  turn  the  heat  on.  At  the  same  time,  remember 
that  red  spider  is  greatly  fostered  by  a  dry  atmosphere, 
and  damp  down  more  freely. 

Melons. — The  growths  of  bearing  plants  should  be 
kept  thin,  and  the  fruiting  shoots  stopped  a  leaf  beyond 
the  fruit. 

Vegetables 

Asparagus. — ^The  last  cutting  of  the  season  should  be 
made  not  later  than  the  middle  of  June.     Henceforth 
the  plants  should  be  allowed  to  grow  unchecked,  an4 
267 


THE   GARDEN    WEEK   BY   WEEK 

June  a  full  bed  in  autumn  will  be  all  in  favour  of  a  satis- 
i6  30     factory  crop  the  following  year. 

Celery  Leaf  Maggot. — Celery  planting  may  continue 
as  fast  as  ground  becomes  vacant.  If  the  leaves  should 
become  marked  by  grey  lines  or  light  brown  patches, 
they  should  be  squeezed  between  the  fingers,  as  a  small 
maggot,  hatching  from  an  egg  deposited  between  the 
upper  and  lower  skin  of  the  leaf  by  a  fly,  is  feeding  on 
the  chlorophyll.  In  order  to  check  further  deposits, 
the  plants  should  be  sprayed  with  the  soft-soap 
and  paraffin  -  oil  mixture  recommended  in  case  of 
Onion  maggot  in  the  first  section  of  the  present 
chapter. 

Endive  and  Lettuce. — The  Green  Curled  Endive  may 
be  sown  for^  use  in  autumn.  Sow  thinly  in  drills,  and 
cover  with  half  an  inch  of  soil.  More  Lettuces  may  be 
sown,  and  plants  that  are  getting  thick  in  the  drills  from 
earlier  sowings  thinned. 

Tu7'nips. — It  is  difficult  to  get  nice,  crisp  Turnips  in 
summer,  because  the  plants  are  either  riddled  by  the 
attack  of  a  small  black  beetle,  or  run  to  seed.  Some 
growers  consider  that  moistening  the  seed  in  turpentine 
before  sowing  helps  to  keep  the  beetle  at  bay.  I  have 
not  found  the  plan  entirely  efficacious  myself,  but  it 
involves  very  little  trouble  or  expense,  and  may  be  tried. 
The  soil  should  be  rolled  after  sowing,  and  the  young 
plants  dusted  with  soot  in  the  early  morning,  while  wet 
with  dew.  So  far  as  running  to  seed  is  concerned, 
some  varieties  are  not  so  much  addicted  to  it  as  others. 
Red  Globe  and  Green  Round  should  be  used  for  sowing 
in  hot  weather. 

Vegetable  Marrows. — There  is  still  time  to  plant 
Vegetable  Marrows.  Plants  which  were  put  in  previously, 
and  are  now  growing  freely,  should  have  a  little  attention 
268 


ROSE   TIME 

if  the   shoots  are   becoming  entangled,   being   trained     June 
quite  clear  of  each  other.  16-30 


The  Garden  in  June — A  Resume  June 

The  rapid  development  of  plants  in  spring,  and  R6sum6 
particularly  the  opening  of  the  Rose  season,  affords 
great  pleasure  to  the  garden  lover.  Work  increases 
but  it  is  agreeable  work.  The  lawn  should  have  special 
attention  in  rolling,  mowing,  and  trimming  edges. 
Daisies,  Dandelions,  Plantains,  and  other  weeds  should 
be  got  rid  of. 

A  large  number  of  biennials  and  perennials  can  be 
sown  in  June  for  flowering  the  following  year. 

Several  important  plants  are  dealt  with  in  June. 
Thus,  Dahlias  may  be  planted  out.  Chrysanthemums 
given  their  final  potting,  Roses  disbudded,  and  Mal- 
maison  Carnation  propagated.  Spring-flowering  shrubs 
may  be  pruned.  Fuchsias  may  be  repotted  and  stopped. 
Fibrous-rooted  Begonias  for  the  garden  may  be  planted. 

Vineries  will  need  early  and  thorough  ventilation  and 
a  great  deal  of  water.  Late  crops  will  need  thinning. 
Peaches  and  Nectarines  should  be  thinned  also. 
American  Blight  on  fruit  trees  should  be  destroyed 
promptly.  Straw  should  be  spread  between  rows  of 
Strawberries,  and  the  fruit  netted.  Apples  and  Pears 
may  be  thinned  if  the  crop  is  very  thick.  The  first 
stage  of  summer  pruning  may  be  entered  upon.  Wall 
fruit  trees  should  be  watered  in  dry  weather.  Melons 
should  be  pruned. 

In  the  kitchen  garden  more  Kidney  Beans   may  be 

sown,   and   early   Celery   and    winter   Greens    planted. 

Rosette  Colewort  and  a  late  crop  of  Peas  may  be  sown. 

Leeks   may   be   planted.     All   ground   should   be   hoed 

269 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 

June  regularly.  Cucumbers  in  frames  should  be  watered, 
and  the  shoots  pegged  down.  The  Carrot,  Celery,  and 
Onion  maggots  should  be  kept  down.  The  cutting  of 
Asparagus  should  cease  for  the  season.  Endives,  Let- 
tuces, and  Turnips  may  be  sown.  Vegetable  Marrows 
may  be  planted. 


Resum6 


270 


CHAPTER   VII 

THE   HEART   OF   THE   YEAR 

The  garden  lover  who  is  occupied  away  from  home,  July 
possibly  in  a  town  office,  for  the  greater  part  of  every 
week  day,  enjoys  his  garden  to  the  full  in  July.  The 
town  streets  are  suffocatingly  hot  in  the  dog  days.  The 
dust  nuisance  is  at  its  worst.  The  odour  from  the 
motors  has  a  peculiarly  offensive  and  penetrating  quality. 
The  gardenless  townsman  sighs  for  the  green,  sweet 
countryside,  or  for  the  cool  breezes  of  the  sea-coast, 
when  the  shade  thermometer  stands  at  85°,  and  the 
breeze  seems  strong  enough  to  carry  to  his  nostrils 
only  the  smell  from  exploded  petrol  charges.  He  pants, 
he  stews,  he  groans  at  the  too  lagging  approach  of  his 
holidays. 

Things  are  not  so  bad  with  the  suburbanist,  who  has 
a  cheerful  and  umbrageous  garden.  The  thought  of  it 
braces  and  heartens  him.  He  buckles  to  his  affairs  with 
greater  zest  from  thinking  of  the  cool  and  shady  corner 
which  he  has  made  at  "  Sunnyside  "  or  "  Roselea,"  and 
the  office  hours  pass  the  quicker.  He  steps  out  briskly 
when  he  turns  homeward,  and  thinks  of  the  fragrant, 
blossomy  hours  which  he  will  pass  with  his  wife  and 
bairns  in  the  garden  before  bedtime  comes. 

Alike  with  flowers,  fruit,  and  vegetables,  we  are  in 

the   heart  of   the   garden   year.     The   garden   is  at  its 

fullest  and  fairest.     Roses  are  a  blaze  of  beauty.  Carmine 

Pillar  is  in  the  "  lustihood  of  its  young  powers,"  Crimson 

271 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

July  Rambler  is  opening,  Dorothy  Perkins  is  laden  with 
pink  trusses,  not  yet  expanded.  Sweet  Peas  have 
clothed  their  sticks  from  top  to  bottom,  and  are  gay 
with  bloom.  Carnations  are  spindling  up  rapidly,  and 
fat  buds  are  already  visible. 

The  Strawberry  bed  is  a  place  of  attraction,  and  yet 
of  bitter  sorrow,  for  the  blackbirds,  which  gaze  hungrily 
at  rich  red  clusters  that  an  entangling  abomination  of 
black  threads  in  the  form  of  a  fish  net  prevents  them 
from  getting  access  to.  Gooseberries  and  Currants  are 
yielding  delicious  material  for  tarts  and  stews.  Early 
Apples  are  already  more  than  half-grown.  Cherries 
are  taking  on  colour. 

The  kitchen  garden  is  providing  new  Potatoes,  and 
in  spite  of  their  comparative  starchlessness  they  some- 
how have  a  flavour  which  the  best  of  old  ones  cannot 
equal.  The  first  dish  of  Green  Peas  has  been  picked, 
eaten,  and  pronounced  to  be  positively  the  greatest 
vegetable  treat  in  all  history.  Longpod  Beans  are  only 
awaiting  a  little  gap  in  the  Pea  supply  to  prove  that  they, 
too,  have  a  wondrous  flavour  of  their  own. 

These  are  the  joys  of  the  July  garden,  and  the  reward 
for  much  hard  and  possibly  tedious  work  in  the  winter 
and  early  spring.  There  are  troubles,  of  course,  and 
disappointments ;  these  things  come  in  everything,  and 
why  should  gardening  be  expected  to  be  free  from 
them  ?  Some  plants  have  failed  of  which  much  was 
expected.  Perhaps  an  unfortunate  forgetfulness  in 
respect  to  watering  has  led  to  disaster  with  a  frame 
of  Cucumbers,  an  oversight  in  connection  with  ventila- 
tion has  ruined  a  batch  of  young  seedling  Stocks,  a 
late  frost  has  spoiled  some  of  the  fruit  blossom,  the 
newly  planted  Crimson  Rambler  Rose  looks  feeble  and 
appears  to  be  infested  with  mildew.  These  and  other 
272 


THE   HEART   OF   THE   YEAR 

trials  are  disappointing,  but  there  is  generally  a  useful  July 
lesson  to  be  learned  from  them,  and  in  any  case  they 
must  not  be  allowed  to  assume  undue  proportions. 
Very  likely  there  is  a  set-off  to  them  in  the  success 
of  some  particular  crop  which  was  not  expected  to  do 
so  well.  The  young  bed  of  Strawberries,  for  instance, 
may  be  carrying  a  much  better  crop  than  was  antici- 
pated, and  the  unknown  pillar  Rose  which  we  planted 
experimentally  may  be  a  gem. 

There  should  be  deep  joy  in  the  July  garden,  and 
the  owner  must  squeeze  every  drop  of  pleasure  and 
interest  out  of  it.  He  should  live  every  second  of  the 
golden  days.  One  garden  hour  ought  to  be  worth  a 
dozen  that  are  spent  in  town  streets.  The  amateur 
should  be  in  his  garden  soon  after  daybreak,  and  should 
not  leave  it  at  night  until  darkness  has  fallen,  if  then. 

If  the  weather  is  somewhat  trying  owing  to  the  heat, 
he  can  make  a  point  of  performing  the  harder  tasks, 
such  as  mowing,  in  the  evening,  when  the  sun  is  near 
the  horizon.  For  the  rest,  a  loose,  soft  collar,  a  light 
jacket,  and  a  sun-hat  will  make  all  the  difference  between 
comfort  and  discomfort. 

Let  him  keep  a  tight  grip  on  his  gardening  duties, 
relaxing  not  one  jot  of  the  ground  made  already.  The 
garden  is  full  and  gay,  and  it  must  be  kept  so.  The 
means  are  simple — watering,  mulching,  hoeing,  removal 
of  decaying  flowers.  The  labour  of  watering  may  be 
reduced  considerably  by  the  use  of  a  hose,  also  by 
mulching — that  is,  covering  the  surface  of  the  soil  with 
some  loose,  close  substance,  such  as  cocoa-nut  fibre 
refuse  or  lawn  mowings.  Hoeing  is  a  light,  healthful, 
and  pleasurable  task.  It  is  one  that  can  be  done  with 
advantage  in  the  early  morning.  While  pursuing  it, 
the  amateur  can  think  out  plans  for  his  business  day 
273  S 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY    WEEK 

July  far  better  than  he  could  do  while  lying  in  a  comatose 
state  in  a  stuffy  bedroom.  His  faculties  will  be  bright 
and  clear.  His  mind  will  be  stimulated.  He  will  have 
fresh  and  fruitful  ideas. 

Gathering  Flowers  and  Saving  Seed 

Flowers  should  be  gathered  regularly  and  continu- 
ously, and  they  should  be  gathered  while  they  are  still 
young,  partly  because  they  are  fresh,  partly  because  of 
the  pleasure  of  seeing  them  expand  in  the  house,  partly 
because  seeding,  which  strains  the  plant,  is  anticipated. 
It  is  in  every  way  desirable  to  gather  flowers  ;  it  is  good 
for  the  grower,  because  his  home  is  brightened,  and  it  is 
good  for  the  plants.  The  loss  of  seed  need  not  be 
deplored.  The  great  majority  of  amateurs  will  do  better 
to  buy  seed  than  to  save  their  own.  I  do  not  believe 
that  it  is  economical  to  save  seed  at  home,  because  I 
think  that  most  people  can  make  much  more  profitable 
use  of  their  time.  Calculate  the  time  occupied  in  saving, 
cleaning,  and  packing  up  threepenny  worth  of  Tomato 
seed.  It  is  equivalent  to  writing  a  thousand  words,  and 
your  value  with  the  publisher  may  be  (I  admit  that  it 
may  not)  ten  guineas  per  thousand.  If  you  are  not  a 
writer  you  may  be  a  painter,  or  a  musical  composer,  or 
something  else  that  renders  your  time  valuable.  I  do 
not  suggest  that  all  time  which  is  devoted  to  gardening 
should  be  calculated  on  a  pounds,  shillings,  and  pence 
basis.  I  only  do  it  in  the  case  of  seed  saving,  because 
this  appears  to  be  generally  done  with  the  idea  of  saving 
money.  If  not,  what  is  the  object  ?  To  be  sure  of 
perfectly  fresh  seed  ?  To  perpetuate  some  particular 
variety  ?  My  reply  to  the  first  of  these  questions  is  that 
seed  bought  from  professional  seedsmen  is  more  likely 
274 


THE   HEART   OF  THE   YEAR 

to  germinate  well  than  seed  saved  at  home,  because  July 
it  has.  been  harvested  under  the  eyes  of  experts,  and 
stored  under  conditions  which  have  been  found  to  be 
the  best  after  long  years  of  experience.  With  regard 
to  the  second  question,  amateur  seed  savers  do  not 
often  save  seed  from  the  best  examples,  and  the  strain 
deteriorates  under  their  hands.  This  is  a  matter  of 
simple  fact.  How  would  an  amateur  proceed  in  the 
saving  of  seeds  of  Ten-week  Stocks,  for  example  ? 

I  am  against  the  home-saving  of  seed  in  the  first 
place,  because  letting  plants  form  pods  shortens  their 
period  of  beauty  ;  in  the  second,  because  it  is  not  sound 
economy  ;  and  in  the  third,  because  it  frequently  means 
degeneration  in  the  following  year's  crop.  It  is  per- 
missible in  a  few  cases,  such  as  those  of  rare  plants. 

Gather  the  Sweet  Peas 

Do  not  save  seed,  gather  the  flowers  while  young.  In 
particular  gather  the  Sweet  Peas.  Pluck  some  every  day, 
and  see  that  no  seed  pod  forms.  Sweet  Peas  are  secretive 
and  swift  in  their  loves.  Have  you  discovered  their  sly 
way  of  self-fertilising  themselves  before  opening  ?  They 
mate  in  the  buds;  it  is  child  love.  And  how  quickly 
seed  pods  form.  You  are  away  for  a  few  days,  and  on 
your  return,  lo !  the  cunning  flowers  have  already  rushed 
into  pod.  Of  a  surety  Sweet  Peas  need  watching.  I 
prefer  to  see  inexperienced  gatherers  work  with  scissors 
than  with  bare  fingers,  because  plucking  often  means 
broken  stems,  and  even  torn-up  plants.  There  is,  how- 
ever, a  way  of  gathering  Sweet  Peas  without  cutting  that 
is  both  neat  and  quick.  Take  the  flower-stalk  while 
young  between  finger  and  thumb  at  the  base,  and  give  a 
gentle  squeeze  and  pull  simultaneously.  If  this  is  done, 
275 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY    WEEK 

July      the  bottom  of  the  flower  stem  leaves  its  seat  instantly, 
and  without  any  disturbance  of  the  plant. 


July  JULY— First  and  Second  Weeks 

Sowing  Herbaceous  Calceolarias. — The  herbaceous 
Calceolaria  is  a  popular  greenhouse  plant  in  spring. 
The  pouch-like  flowers  are  as  large  as  pigeon's  eggs, 
borne  in  scores,  and  most  beautifully  marked.  Every- 
body admires  the  rich  appearance  of  well-grown  plants. 
Propagation  is  done  by  means  of  seeds,  and  therein 
comes  a  difficulty.  Although  the  plant  is  very  large 
the  seed  is  very  small,  and  requires  almost  as  much 
care  in  handling  as  Begonia  seed.  Further,  the  seedlings 
are  not  so  accommodating  as  some  plants ;  they  really 
seem  as  though  they  would  as  lief  die  as  not.  Let 
the  raiser  pay  particular  attention  to  the  hints  given 
in  Chapter  I.  when  raising  Calceolarias.  When  the 
plants  have  fairly  got  moving,  they  are  as  easy  to  manage 
as  anything  else.  Having  no  tubers  to  form,  they  move 
quickly.  They  are  all  right  in  a  frame  until  September, 
when  they  should  go  on  to  a  greenhouse  shelf. 

Potting  Primulas.  —  Young  fringed  Primulas  for 
winter  flowering  that  were  pricked  off  from  a  seed  pan 
a  month  ago  will  now  be  ready  for  small  pots.  They 
will  be  quite  safe  in  a  frame  for  the  next  ten  weeks,  and 
should  have  abundance  of  air,  together  with  water  as 
needed.  Loam,  leaf  mould,  and  sand  suit  them.  They 
should  be  potted  firmly,  and  fairly  low,  otherwise  the 
collar  may  become  bare  after  a  few  weeks'  watering,  and 
the  plants  rock  about. 

Biennials  and  Perennials.— Complete  the  sowings  of 
the  various  kinds  which  have  been  selected  from  the 
list  in  the  previous  chapter. 
276 


THE   HEART   OF   THE   YEAR 

Border  Carnations. — The  flower  stems  are  now  rising 
rapidly,  and  there  must  be  no  neglect  in  providing 
supports.  Remember  the  advan- 
tages of  coil  wire  stakes,  as  advised 
in  a  previous  chapter.  If  fine 
blooms  are  wanted,  most  of  the 
side  buds  of  the  various  clusters 
should  be  removed  in  order  to 
throw  strength  into  the  central 
ones.  Three  may  be  left  on  each 
stem. 

Care  of  Ferns. — It  saves  some 
trouble  in  watering  if  a  shade- 
wash  is  put  on  the  glass  of  green- 
houses for  the  summer,  and  shading 
of  this  kind,  or  in  the  form  of  roller 
blinds,  is  particularly  necessary  in  Fig.  48.— Coil  Stake  for 
the   case    of    Ferns,   which    might  carnations. 

-^.  a.  The  coil  stake. 

otherwise  be  scorched  up.     The  pots    b.  Main    stem    and    flower 

should    stand    on    cool,    moisture- 
holding  material,  such  as  fine  shingle,  and  this  should 
be  kept  moist.     Constant  attention  should  be  given  to 
watering,  or  the  plants  will  collapse. 

Maggots  in  Marguerite  Leaves.  —  The  foliage  of 
Marguerites  is  sometimes  discoloured  by  zigzag  lines, 
and  may  become  covered  with  brown  blotches.  The 
appearance  is  due  to  the  attack  of  a  leaf-mining  grub 
similar  to  that  which  affects  Celery  (see  preceding 
chapter),  and  may  be  dealt  with  in  the  same  way. 

Window  Boxes. — It  stimulates  window  plants  if  they 
are  looked  over  occasionally,  decaying  leaves  and  fading 
flowers  picked  off,  the  soil  stirred  up  with  a  trowel,  and 
an  application  of  fertiliser  sprinkled  over  the  soil  two  or 
three  times  a  week  just  before  watering.  There  is  still 
277 


July 
1-15 


THE   GARDEN    WEEK    BY   WEEK 

July     time   to   decorate   window   boxes   for    the   summer   by 
I~i5      getting   pot   plants    of    Marguerites,   Zonal   Geraniums, 
Ivy-leaved  Geraniums,  Tropoeolums,  and  other  suitable 
plants. 

Pelargoniums  after  Flowering. — The  large  flowered 
green-leaved  Pelargoniums  are  the  better  for  a  complete 
rest  after  flowering.  They  may  be  placed  in  a  group 
out  of  doors,  and  given  no  water  until  the  foliage  withers, 
then  pruned  back  to  short  stumps,  watered,  syringed, 
and  put  under  glass.  They  will  soon  break  into  fresh 
growth,  and  make  splendid  plants  for  another  year. 

Dressing  Violas. — It  was  advised  to  plant  Violas 
early,  in  order  to  get  them  into  vigorous  growth  before 
the  spring  was  far  advanced.  If  this  course  was  adopted, 
the  plants  will  have  put  in  several  weeks'  hard  flowering 
by  the  time  July  opens.  They  will  be  very  little  the 
worse  for  this,  provided  that  the  flowers  have  been 
regularly  picked,  and  water  and  liquid  manure  given  in 
dry  spells.  If  these  steps  have  not  been  taken,  the 
plants  may  be  somewhat  dingy  now,  and  it  will  refresh 
them  to  crop  them  over,  removing  the  old  growths 
as  well  as  the  flowers,  and  spread  some  fresh  soil  and 
manure  among  them.  They  will  soon  be  in  growth 
again  after  this  treatment,  and  will  flower  nearly  as  well 
as  ever. 

Mildew  on  Roses. — Roses  ought  to  be  at  their  best 
in  July,  and  it  is  distressing  to  see  the  plants  get  coated 
with  mildew.  This  is  liable  to  happen  when  the  plants 
are  growing  in  poor,  thin  soil,  and  are  suffering  from 
drought.  Soakings  of  liquid  manure,  or  even  plain  water, 
will  do  good.  But  plants  growing  in  really  fertile,  moist 
soil  sometimes  become  affected,  and  it  is  well  to  resort 
to  dry  flowers  of  sulphur  directly  the  grey  powder 
begins  to  spread.  The  sulphur  is  best  applied  through 
278 


THE   HEART    OF   THE   YEAR 

a  pair  of  Malbec  bellows,  which  distributes  it  evenly  and     July 
economically.  ^~" 


Fruit 

Thinning  Apples. — Apples  ought  to  be  swelling  up 
their  fruit  steadily  now,  and  finer  examples  will  develop 
if,  where  the  fruits  hang  thickly,  they  are  reduced  to 
two  per  spur  than  where  they  are  allowed  to  remain 
crowded. 

Sawfly  Caterpillar  on  Gooseberries. — If  a  Gooseberry 
grower  finds  that  the  foliage  is  being  eaten  after  the 
fruit  has  been  gathered,  he  should  search  for  a  small 
green,  black-headed  caterpillar,  and  if  he  finds  it,  he 
may  safely  credit  it  with  the  mischief.  If  the  caterpillars 
are  not  present  in  considerable  numbers  perhaps  spray- 
ing on  the  paraffin  and  soft-soap  wash  recommended 
under  Onions  in  Chapter  VI.  will  suffice ;  if  not,  helle- 
bore powder  should  be  resorted  to.  This  is  certain  to 
prove  a  remedy  if  it  is  dusted  on.  If  it  is  ever  used  on 
Gooseberries  that  are  bearing  fruit,  the  bushes  should  be 
vigorously  syringed  two  or  three  days  afterwards,  as  the 
powder  is  poisonous. 

American  Gooseberry  Mildezv. — Gooseberry  leaves  are 
sometimes  affected  by  white  patches,  which  afterwards 
become  brown  and  felt-like.  The  fruit  is  also  attacked. 
The  young  wood  may  be  marked  with  brown.  These 
signs  point  to  an  attack  of  American  Gooseberry  mildew, 
which  has  spread  a  great  deal  during  recent  years,  and 
become  epidemic.  In  bad  cases  the  bushes  ought  to  be 
burned.  In  slight  attacks  the  young  shoots  which  are 
affected  may  be  cut  off  and  burned,  and  the  bushes 
sprayed  with  sulphide  of  potassium — one  ounce  in  three 
gallons  of  water. 

279 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

July  Apple  Scab. — The   fungoid  disease   known  as  scab, 

1-15  which  causes  dark  patches  to  form  on  the  leaves,  and 
also  patches,  followed  by  cracking,  on  the  fruit,  tends  to 
spread  year  by  year.  It  may  be  reduced  considerably 
by  picking  off  any  badly  affected  leaves  and  fruit,  and 
spraying  with  Bordeaux  mixture  (see  Chapter  I.). 

Aphis  on  Cherries. — A  black  aphis  often  attacks  the 
foliage  of  Cherries,  establishing  itself  on  the  young 
shoots,  and  injuring  the  tree  by  sucking  out  the  sap. 
The  paraffin  and  soft-soap  spray  is  a  sure  remedy  for 
this. 

Silver  Leaf  of  Fruit  Trees. — During  recent  years  a 
disease  known  as  "  silver  leaf,"  owing  to  the  grey,  shiny 
appearance  which  the  foliage  assumes  when  the  trees 
are  attacked,  has  spread  a  good  deal,  principally  among 
the  stone  fruits,  such  as  Peaches  and  Plums.  It  is 
irregular  in  its  action,  sometimes  spreading  rapidly  over 
a  whole  tree,  at  others  merely  attacking  one  shoot,  and 
then  making  no  more  progress.  A  fruit  grower  who 
sees  this  enemy  appear  had  better  hold  no  parley  with 
it,  but  cut  out  the  affected  parts  at  once  and  burn  them. 

Grapes. — See  that  inside  borders  do  not  remain  dry 
for  any  length  of  time.  Continue  to  close  houses  in  the 
afternoon,  to  afterwards  damp  down,  and  to  ventilate 
early  in  the  morning.  Vines  planted  this  spring  may  be 
stopped  half-way  up  the  roof.  Those  planted  a  year 
previously  may  carry  two  or  three  bunches  of  fruit  this 
season. 

Strawberries. — It  is  best  to  gather  Strawberries  early 
in  the  morning.  The  beds  ought  to  be  in  full  bearing 
now.  Fill  some  small  pots  with  loam,  sink  them  in  the 
ground  round  plants  that  are  bearing  runners,  and  fix 
the  plantlets  on  to  the  soil  in  the  pots  by  means  of 
stones.  They  will  root  speedily. 
280 


THE   HEART   OF   THE   YEAR 


Vegetables 

Cauliflowers. — Plants  raised  in  April,  and  trans- 
planted from  the  seed  bed,  ought  now  to  be  sturdy,  and 
have  abundance  of  fibrous  roots.  If  there  is  a  piece  of 
ground  free,  they  may  be  planted  at  once,  thirty  inches 
apart  all  ways.  The  soil  ought  to  be  deep,  rich,  and 
friable.  It  is  well  to  take  advantage  of  showery  weather 
for  planting,  but  the  plants  will  grow  in  dry  weather  if 
they  are  watered  in. 

Celery. — The  planting  of  the  main  crop  should  be 
completed  as  early  as  ground  can  be  found  for  making 
the  trenches.  Proceed  as  previously  advised.  If  some 
plants  were  put  in  a  month  ago,  they  will  have  made 
good  growth  by  now  probably.  Water  and  liquid 
manure  will  help  them  along.  Use  the  paraffin-oil  and 
soft-soap  spray  to  check  the  leaf  maggot. 

Mushrooms. — Manure  may  now  be  procured  with  a 
view  to  making  up  beds  for  autumn.  Remember  that 
the  manure  should  be  well  shaken  up  to  drive  off  gases, 
and  that  ridge-shaped  beds  thirty  inches  wide  at  the  base 
and  the  same  high  are  suitable. 

Mildew  in  Onions. — A  bed  of  Onions,  to  all  appear- 
ances perfectly  healthy,  is  sometimes  discoloured,  and 
the  growth  stopped,  in  a  few  hours  by  an  attack  of  mil- 
dew. The  plants  hang  limp  and  lifeless.  The  foliage  is 
covered  with  grey  powder.  This  is  a  serious  enemy,  and 
a  grower  who  notices  the  faintest  discolouration  of  the 
leaves  of  his  Onions  should  get  some  lump  lime  from  a 
builder,  slake  it  with  a  httle  water  so  as  to  reduce  it  to 
powder,  and  then  dust  it  on. 

Clearing-off  Early  Peas. — It  is  useless  to  leave  early 
Peas  on  the  ground  after  the  crop  has  been  gathered — in 
281 


July 
I-15 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

July  fact,  worse  than  useless,  because  the  plants  are  liable  to 
I~I5  become  affected  by  mildew,  and  to  contaminate  succes- 
sional  rows.  The  haulm  should  be  cut  off  close  to  the 
surface  of  the  soil  and  carried  to  the  rubbish  heap.  The 
roots  may  be  left,  as  they  will  help  to  fertilise  the  soil. 
The  ground  may  be  planted  with  Celery,  Leeks,  Cauli- 
flowers, or  winter  Greens. 

Early  Potatoes. — Early  varieties  of  Potatoes  will  now, 

or  soon,  be  ready  for  use.     When  the  foliage  begins  to 

turn  yellow  the  tubers  are  ready.     Needless  to  say  many 

growers,  in  their  eagerness  for  an  early  dish  of  "new 

Potatoes,"    lift    while   the   tops   are 

still  green,  and  a  lively  imagination 

may  enable  the  amateur  to  declare 

that  the   flavour   is   delicious.     The 

ground  cleared  of  Potatoes  may  be 

utilised  in  the  same  way  as  that  from 

which  Peas  have  been  removed,  or 

sown  with  Turnips. 

Attention  for  Tomatoes. — Outdoor 
plants  will  now  be  growing  strongly, 
and  have  set  fruit  on  the  lower 
trusses  probably.  Four  or  five 
bunches  will  be  enough  for  each 
plant  to  carry.  When  the  plant  has 
reached  the  top  of  its  stake,  or,  in  the 
case  of  plants  growing  against  a  wall 
or  fence,  four  feet  high,  the  tip  may 
be  pinched  off.  All  side  shoots 
should  be  nipped  off  as  fast  as  they 
form.  If  the  soil  is  shallow  and 
poor,  liquid  manure  may  be  used 
when  the  fruit  is  half-swollen  up,  but  it  is  not  likely 
to  be  needed  in  deep,  fertile  ground. 
282 


Fig.  49.— Pruning 
Tomatoes. 

a    Side  shoots  to  be  cut 

off  as  denoted  by  the 

dark  lines. 
/'.  The  point  of  the  main 

stem  which  must  also 

be  cut  off. 


THE   HEART    OF   THE   YEAR 

Planting  Winter  Greens. — Broccoli,  Brussels  Sprouts,  July 
Borecole,  and  Savoys  may  be  planted  out  at  the  first  ^"15 
spell  of  showery  weather.  If  ground  is  scarce,  some  may 
be  planted  two  and  a  half  feet  apart  between  Potato 
rows,  but  the  early  small-topped  Potatoes  should  be 
chosen  for  such  intercropping.  If  it  is  absolutely 
necessary  to  put  Greens  between  late,  strong-growing 
Potatoes  like  Up-to-date,  Table  Talk,  Factor,  and  Sensa- 
tion, plant  them  between  alternate  rows  only,  and  draw 
the  Potato  tops  away  from  them  towards  the  spaces 
between  the  rows  that  are  not  intercropped. 


JULY— Third  and  Fourth  Weeks  July 

16-31 

Flowers 

Several  important  operations  often  come  on  during 
the  second  week  of  July,  notably  budding  Roses,  layer- 
ing Carnations,  and  manipulating  Chrysanthemum  buds. 
In  each  of  these  cases  the  exact  period  is  decided  by 
the  weather. 

Buddiftg  Roses. — Large  growers  of  Roses  get  the 
greater  part  of  their  Rose  budding  done  between  the 
middle  of  July  and  the  middle  of  August.  Should  there 
be  a  good  deal  of  showery  weather  in  June  and  the  early 
part  of  July,  they  begin  earlier.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the 
budding  of  Roses  may  be  done  as  readily  and  as  success- 
fully in  June  as  in  August  if  there  is  a  supply  of  suitable 
wood  for  making  buds,  and  the  sap  is  flowing  freely 
enough  in  the  stocks  for  the  pith  to  come  out  freely. 
Let  me  explain  what  I  mean  by  "suitable  wood."  The 
part  of  a  Rose  which  is  taken  when  propagation  by 
means  of  budding  is  practised  is  a  slice  about  two  inches 
long  cut  from  a  firm  shoot  of  the  current  year's  growth 
283 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 

July  underneath  a  leaf.  It  seems  remarkable  that  such  a  slip 
16-31  of  wood  will  give  a  strong,  healthy  shoot,  but  it  certainly 
will  if  it  is  handled  properly.  One  piece  of  growth  will 
give  several  such  slips.  If  the  base  of  the  leaf-stalk  be 
examined  when  the  slip  has  been  cut  out  it  will  be  seen 
that  there  is  a  small  green  knot  there.     This  knot  goes 

through  the  bark,  and 
its    base    is    lodged    in 
the     pith      or     woody 
matter  of  the  slip.    The 
delicacy   of  the  opera- 
tion  of   budding   is  to 
remove  the  pith  without 
tearing    the     knot    out 
with  it.   Let  the  amateur 
practise  on  a  few  slips. 
So  long  as  he  finds  that 
there  is  nothing  but  a 
small  cavity  left  under 
the  leaf-stalk   when  he 
has  pulled  out  the  pith 
he    is    under    the    ob- 
ligation   of    confessing 
failure  and  trying  again. 
But  when  he  is  able  to 
point  to  a   green,  pin- 
head-like    knot     firmly 
seated  in  the  bark  under 
the  leaf-stalk  after  the  pith  has  gone,  he  can  claim  suc- 
cess.   After  having  got  so  far,  he  might  still  fail  if  he  let 
the  bud  get  dry  before  putting  it  in  ;  it  is  very  important 
that  it  should  be  kept  moist.     The  pith  parts  the  most 
readily  from  the  bark  after  rain.     If  a  budder  wanted  to 
get  his  budding  done  at  a  particular  time  and  the  weather 
284 


Fig.  so.— Budding  Dwarf  Roses. 

a.  The  bud. 

b.  Pith  which  must  be  carefully  removed. 

c.  The  top  cut  off  at  the  dark  line. 

d.  How  to  open  the  bark  of  the  stock. 

e.  The  bud  inserted  and  tied  in. 


THE   HEART   OF   THE   YEAR 

was  dry,  he  would  do  well  to  give  the  plants  from  which 
he  intended  to  take  buds  a  good  soaking  of  water. 

As  regards  stocks  for  working  the  buds  on  to,  they 
must  consist  of  standard  Briers  dug  out  of  the  hedge- 
rows in  autumn,  or  dwarf  Briers  two  or  three  years  old, 
raised  from  seed  or  cuttings.  In  the  first  case  the 
buds  should  be  inserted  in  the  side  shoots  which  break 
from  the  upper  part  of  the  standards  in  late  spring,  and 
which  may  be  two  feet  long  by  midsummer.  The  cuts 
to  receive  the  buds  should 
be  made  near  the  base  of  the 
shoots,  and  should  consist 
of  one  cross  and  one  longi- 
tudinal cut,  the  latter  being 
about  two  inches  long,  and 
coming  up  to  the  centre  of 
the  former.  The  edges  of 
the  bark  can  be  raised  to 
receive  the  bud  with  the  flat 
polished  handle  of  the  bud- 
ding knife.  When  the  bud 
has  been  slipped  down,  it 
can  be  tied  in  with  worsted 
or  raphia.  It  should  be 
made  firm,  but  not  bound 
very  tightly.  In  the  case  of 
dwarf  stocks,  one  bud  can 
be  put  in  the  main  stem 
just  beneath  the  soil. 

The  necessaries  for  budding  Roses  may  be  sum- 
marised as  follows  :  (i)  a  supply  of  stocks,  either  raised 
by  propagating  or  transplanted  from  the  hedgerows  ; 
(2)  a  supply  of  shoots  of  the  current  year's  growth  to 
yield  buds ;  (3)  a  flat-handled,  pohshed  budding  knife ; 
285 


July 
16-31 


Fig.  si. 


-Budding  Standard 
Roses. 


Where  to  insert  the  buds. 
The   bud  secured   by  strands  of 
soft  material,  c. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 

July  (4)  some  tying  material.  The  order  of  the  operations 
^^31  may  be  summarised  thus  :  (i)  remove  some  strong,  clean 
shoots  of  the  current  year's  growth  after  showery 
weather  between  mid-July  and  mid-August  ;  (2)  remove 
the  leaves,  but  allow  half  an  inch  of  each  stalk  to  remain, 
as  it  will  form  a  handle  ;  (3)  take  out  a  slice  about  two 
inches  long,  and  about  a  sixteenth  of  an  inch  deep, 
beneath  the  leaf-stalk,  with  a  sharp  knife  ;  (4)  holding 
the  slice  by  the  leaf-stalk,  pull  out  the  pith  without 
tearing  away  the  little  green  knot  in  the  centre  ;  (5)  in- 
stantly slip  the  bud  down  between  the  raised  edges  of 
a  longitudinal  cut  in  the  stock  ;  (6)  tie  it  in.  If  the  buds 
are  inserted  in  June,  they  often  make  a  great  deal  of 
growth  the  same  year,  and  the  plants  may  even  bloom 
the  same  summer  ;  but  if  put  in  later  they  do  not  grow 
until  the  following  spring,  and  this  is  quite  as  well. 

Amateurs  who  fail  with  their  first  year's  buds  (and  it 
is  common  to  have  a  good  many  failures  in  early  at- 
tempts at  budding,  for  after  all  the  operation  is  a  some- 
what delicate  one)  should  pay  particular  attention  to 
three  points  the  following  year  :  (i)  that  there  is  free 
growth  both  in  Rose  and  stock  when  the  work  is  started  ; 
(2)  that  the  green  knot  is  left  in  the  bud  when  the  pith 
is  pulled  out;  (3)  that  the  bud  is  kept  fresh.  If  these 
matters  are  right,  success  will  come.  In  the  large  Rose 
nurseries,  labouring  men  with  rough  horny  hands  do 
the  budding,  and  make  few  mistakes.  They  cultivate 
long  finger-nails  during  budding  time,  on  the  ground 
that  they  can  get  hold  of  the  pith  better  than  they  can 
when  their  nails  are  pared  close  !  Perhaps  the  amateur 
may  try  this  also. 

Propagating   Carnatiotts    and   Pinks.  —  Whether    the 
Carnation  grower  cultivates  his  plants  under  names  or 
not  (if  he  is  an  enthusiast  he  generally  keeps  his  varieties 
286 


THE   HEART   OF   THE   YEAR 

labelled),  there  are  always  a  few  sorts  which  he  desires  July 
to  have  more  of.  They  establish  themselves  as  favourites  10-31 
because  of  their  vigorous  growth,  or  because  they  have 
fine  flowers,  or  because  they  are  very  sweet.  If  the 
amateur  is  fortunate  enough  to  get  varieties  which 
combine  all  these  merits,  let  him  take  care  to  get  a  good 
many  plants  of  each,  for  they  are  real  floral  treasures. 
There  is  no  finer  and  more  desirable  plant  than  a  really 
good  Carnation,  and  in  these  days  of  much  fungoid 
disease,  strength  of  constitution  is  of  special  importance. 
The  time  to  propagate  Carnations  is  from  mid-July  to 
mid-August,  and  the  method  is  to  layer  the  tufty  outer 
growths.  (If  you  would  pass  as  one  of  the  elect  among 
Carnation  specialists,  you  must  take  care  always  to  allude 
to  these  growths  as  "  the  Grass.")  Plants  which  have 
languished  through  the  winter  as  a  result  of  the  attacks 
of  "mould"  or  "rust,"  or  which  have  been  checked  in 
spring  by  wireworm,  sometimes  exhibit  but  a  very  poor 
and  weakly  growth  of  "Grass"  by  mid-July  ;  in  this  case 
it  is  prudent  to  defer  the  layering  and  endeavour  to 
strengthen  the  plants  by  giving  them  a  few  soakings 
of  liquid  manure,  and  top-dressings  of  rich,  loamy  soil. 
There  may  be  several  growths  on  each  plant,  and  all 
may  be  layered  separately.  Place  a  small  mound  of 
soil  under  each  as  a  preliminary,  then  remove  a  few 
of  the  leaves  from  the  stem  about  one-third  of  the 
length  of  the  stem  (calculating  from  the  parent  plant), 
and  make  a  slit  along  the  stem  about  an  inch  long,  pre- 
ferably through  a  joint.  Do  not  cut  a  slice  right  out, 
as  in  budding  Roses,  merely  pass  the  knife  half-way 
through  the  stem,  and  then  turn  the  edge  of  the  blade 
so  as  to  cut  longitudinally  for  an  inch.  This  forms 
what  gardeners  would  term  a  "tongue,"  and  the  word 
is  not  inapt.  Keep  the  tongue  raised  by  slipping  in  a 
287 


THE   GARDEN    WEEK    BY   WEEK 

July  small  pebble,  then  press  it  into  the  mound  and  fasten 
^"~3I  it  with  a  forked  twig  or  wire  pin.  If  the  mounds  of  soil 
contain  a  goodly  proportion  of  leaf  soil  and  sand,  there 
ought  to  be  a  nice  little  cluster  of  fibrous  roots  around 
the  tongue  within  the  month,  but  the  grower  need  not 
become  impatient  if  a  longer  time  is  required,  as  it  will 
suffice  if  they  are  well  rooted  by  October.  As  soon  as 
it  is  found  that  there  is  a  mat  of  fibres  round  the  tongue, 
the  shoot  may  be  severed  and  the  young  plant  (for  such 
the  layer  will  be  then)  potted  up  or  planted  in  the 
border.  The  growth  of  Pinks  is  more  upright  than  that 
of  Carnations,  and  consequently  does  not  lend  itself  to 
layering  so  readily.  This  being  so,  it  is  best  to  propa- 
gate by  pulling  some  young  shoots  about  three  inches 
long  out  of  their  sockets  and  inserting  them  in  sandy 
soil. 

Propagating  the  Double  Arabis. — No  flower  gardener 
who  has  once  proved  the  value  of  the  double  white 
Rock  Cress  is  ever  likely  to  feel  satisfied  that  he  has 
enough  of  it,  and  he  may  be  glad  of  a  hint  for 
increasing  his  stock.  If  he  will  look  over  his  plants 
now,  he  will  probably  find  that  they  are  covered  with 
young  shoots  which  have  grown  since  the  spring — 
with  a  cluster  of  leaves  at  the  top,  and  several  inches 
of  stem  below.  All  these  shoots  will  make  plants  if 
they  are  taken  off  about  four  inches  long,  the  lower 
half  divested  of  leaves,  and  inserted  firmly  in  a  bed 
of  moist,  sandy  soil  in  a  place  where  they  can  be 
shaded  during  hot  sunshine.  They  will  make  sturdy 
little  plants  by  autumn,  when  they  can  be  planted  in 
borders,  rockeries,  bulb  beds,  and  other  desired  places. 

The  ^^Crozvn  "  Buds  of  Prize   Chrysanthemums. — By 
reference  to  that    popular    plant    the    Chrysanthemum 
at  appropriate  seasons,   we  have   carried  it  to   a  very 
288 


O  u 


t/5  o 


THE   HEART   OF   THE  YEAR 


interesting  stage — the  stage  when  it  may  be  expected 
to  make  its  second  break  and  commence  producing 
its  crown  buds.  Let  us  recapitulate  the  stages  :  First 
there  was  that  of  inserting  the  cuttings.  Then  there 
was  the  repotting.  Then  there  was  the  "first  break." 
Then  there  was  the  final  potting  and  the  standing 
out  of  doors  for  the  summer.  We  have  seen  that  the 
prize  bloom  plant  produces  a  flower  bud  in  April  or 
May,  and  breaks  into 
three  shoots.  That  is 
the  "  first  break."  The 
bud  is  picked  off,  the 
shoots  are  kept.  Pre- 
sently each  of  them 
produces  a  fiower  bud, 
and  breaks  into  three 
shoots  the  same  as  the 
original  stem  did.  This 
is  the  "  second  break.'' 
The  flower  buds  so 
produced  are  "crown  " 
buds.  This  second 
break  may  come  at 
the  right  time  for  the 
grower  or  it  may  not. 
If  he  asks  how  he  shall 
know  whether  the  time 
is  right  or  not,  the  only  possible  answer  (for  it  is  impossible 
to  give  a  general  reply)  is,  that  the  peculiarities  of  the 
different  sorts  which  are  being  grown  must  be  ascertained. 
In  a  collection  of  fifty  varieties  there  might  be  a  dozen 
variations.  These  constitute  alike  the  difficulty  and  the 
interest  of  growing  prize  Chrysanthemums.  One  cannot 
lump  all  the  sorts  together  for  a  common  course  of 
289  T 


July 
16-31 


Fig.  52.— Taking  Crown  Buds  off 
Chrysanthemums. 

a.  The  crown  bud. 

b.  Side  shoots  to  be  removed. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

July  treatment.  Each  has  its  individuaHty.  The  importance 
10-31  of  the  bud  question  lies  in  the  fact  that  unless  it  is 
properly  handled  the  blooms  of  different  varieties  will 
be  at  their  best  at  different  periods,  and  the  exhibition 
grower  likes  to  have  them  simultaneously.  One  way 
of  ascertaining  the  necessary  treatment  of  the  buds  of 
the  respective  varieties  is  to  ask  the  florist  who  supplies 
them  in  the  first  place  to  give  details.  Every  new 
variety  which  is  procured  ought  to  be  entered  in  a  book, 
and  its  particular  requirements  marked.  If  this  practice 
is  adopted,  there  is  rarely  any  difficulty.  True,  a  little 
hitch  may  occur  in  the  case  of  one  variety  or  another, 
for  no  system  can  be  devised  that  is  absolutely,  auto- 
matically perfect  when  weather  influences  come  in,  but 
an  odd  error  is  rarely  disastrous.  So  much  by  way  of 
explanation  ;  now,  reverting  to  the  second  break,  let  me 
say  that  it  may  come  any  time  between  the  middle  of 
July  and  the  end  of  August.  It  is  likely  to  suit  the 
grower  best  if  it  comes  about  the  middle  of  August. 
Supposing,  however,  that  it  comes  in  July,  as  is  some- 
times the  case.  The  break  is  too  early,  and  the  plant 
should  be  artificially  controlled  so  as  to  bring  about 
another.  The  flower  bud,  which  in  this  case  will  be 
called  the  "  first  crown,"  should  be  removed  from  each 
shoot,  and  the  three  growing  buds  below  examined,  the 
weakest  two  being  discarded.  This  of  course  leaves  the 
plant  with  three  branches  as  before,  only  each  has,  so  to 
say,  a  fresh  growing  tip.  The  shoots  will  grow  on,  and 
in  the  course  of  about  three  weeks  will  break  again. 
This  time  the  flower  buds  (now  called  "  second 
crowns  ")  will  be  retained,  and  the  shoots  which  spring 
below  them  removed.  Roughly,  it  takes  eleven  weeks 
to  develop  a  prize  Chrysanthemum  bloom,  thus  a  bud 
which  forms  at  mid-August  ought  to  be  a  fully  developed 
290 


THE   HEART   OF   THE   YEAR 

flower  the  first  week  in  November.  It  is  perhaps  scarcely  July 
necessary  to  say  that  this  process  of  stopping  and  bud  ^^31 
selection  is  not  developed  to  anything  like  the  same 
extent  in  the  case  of  plants  which  are  grown  as  bushes, 
to  produce  abundance  of  small  flowers  instead  of  two  or 
three  large  ones.  True,  the  young  plants  may  be  pinched 
once  or  twice  in  spring  to  make  them  compact,  but  there 
need  be  no  elaborate  manipulation ;  "  breaks "  and 
"crowns"  can  both  be  ignored.  Instead  of  the  mid- 
season  shoots  being  pinched  out,  they  should  be  allowed 
to  extend,  and  in  due  course  they  will  produce  flowers. 
The  blossoms  will  be  small,  and  of  no  use  for  forming 
prize  stands,  but  there  will  be  a  great  many  of  them,  and 
they  will  be  charming  for  vases  in  the  house. 

Lifting  and  dividing  Daffodils. — Narcissi  and  Daffodils 
will  have  completed  their  growth  by  now,  and  may  be 
taken  up  for  division.  There  will  be  large  bulbs  and 
small  in  the  clumps — bulbs  large  enough  to  give  good 
flowers  next  year,  and  bulbs  which  will  not  bloom  until 
the  second  year.  The  sizes  can  be  separated,  as  it  is 
convenient  to  know,  when  planting,  what  bulbs  can  be 
relied  upon  to  bloom.  It  is  difficult  to  advise  as  to  the 
exact  sizes,  because  the  varieties  differ  a  great  deal  in 
size  of  bulb,  and  what  would  be  a  large  bulb  for  Poeticus 
would  be  a  small  one  for  Sir  Watkin.  It  will  be  safe  to 
assume  that  all  bulbs  equal  to  two-thirds  the  size  of  the 
largest  flowering  bulb  will  bloom  the  following  year. 
Bulb  dealers  necessarily  dry  and  store  their  bulbs,  but 
amateurs  need  not  do  so,  they  may  replant  at  once,  and 
the  deeper,  the  moister  the  soil  the  more  likely  the 
plants  are  to  do  well.  Strong  bulbs  may  be  forced  in 
pots  or  boxes. 

Improving  Annuals. — The  earlier  kinds  of  annuals  will 
have  been  flowering  for  some  time  now,  and  a  critical 
291 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 


July 
16-31 


time  has  arrived.  The  plants  are  a  Httle  the  worse  for 
wear,  and  moreover  are  going  to  seed.  When  once  they 
start  going  downhill  they  move  fast,  and  an  effort  should 
be  made  to  stop  the  down-grade  movement  at  the  very 
outset.  Preventing  seeding  by  the  prompt  removal  of 
all  fading  flowers,  stirring  the  soil  with  a  hoe,  watering, 
and  occasional  doses  of  hquid  manure  will  all  help  to 
keep  the  plants  fresh. 

Repotting  Cinerarias, — Plants  raised  in  spring,  and 
subsequently  placed  in  small  pots,  will  be  ready  for 
larger  ones  as  soon  as  roots  protrude  at  the  drainage 
hole,  and  5-inch  may  be  chosen.  Drain  with  crocks 
and  moss,  use  a  compost  of 
loam,  leaf-mould,  and  sand, 
)  pot  firmly,  keep  them  close 
and  shaded  for  a  few  days, 
then  put  them  in  a  cold 
frame  and  give  abundance  of 
air.  See  that  the  green  fly 
does  not  establish  itself  on 
the  young  plants,  or  it  will 
soon  do  great  harm.  It  is 
to  be  hoped  that  the  Star 
Cinerarias  are  being  grown. 
They  are  lovely  for  winter 
blooming. 
a  Drainage  and  compost.  y^j^^^  Roman   Hvacinths.— 

0.  How    the    bulbs   are   inserted,  _  -^ 

leaving  the  crowns  just  above    These    charmiug     bulbs     are 
generally    procurable    at    the 
end  of  July,  and  may  be  bought  and  potted,  or  grown 
in  vases  of  fibre. 

Wallfiowers  should  be  taken  from  the  seed  beds  and 
planted  out,  or  they  will  spoil  each  other  by  over- 
crowding. 

292 


Fig.  S3.— Potting  Roman 
Hyacinths. 


Early  white  Roman  Hyacinths  grown  in  an  ornamen- 
containinc  i'eat  moss  fibre;  no  soil  is  i'seu. 


THE   HEART   OF  THE   YEAR 


Fruit 

Propagating  Strawberries. — The  propagation  of  Straw- 
berries by  means  of  runners  should  be  continued  in 
accordance  with  pre- 
vious advice.  The 
runners  maybe  rooted 
in  small  pots  plunged 
in  the  soil  round  the 
plants,  or  in  small 
squares  of  turf.  Water 
should  be  given  in 
dry  weather. 

Summer  Pruning. — 
Where  the  breastwood 
of  trained  trees, 
whether  of  Apples, 
Pears,  Plums,  or 
Cherries,  was  pinched 
early  in  June,  it  will 
probably  have  pushed 
subsidiary  shoots  by 
the  end  of  July,  and 
these  may  be  stopped  at  the  first  leaf.  Those  who 
prefer  to  perform  their  summer  pruning  in  one  opera- 
tion will  probably  not  take  action  until  the  end  of  July 
or  the  early  part  of  August,  when  they  will  stop  the  side 
shoots  at  the  sixth  leaf  from  the  base. 

Summer- Pruning  Gooseberries  and  Red  Currants. — 
What  applies  to  the  larger  fruits  applies  also  to  Goose- 
berries and  Red  and  White  (not  Black)  Currants.  When 
the  breastwood  gets  thick  it  is  an  advantage  to  open  up 
the  bushes  by  pinching  off  the  ends  of  the  side  shoots  at 
293 


July 
16-31 


Fig.  54.— Propagating  Strawberries. 

a.  Old  plant. 

b.  The  runner,  to  be  layered  and  pegged  down 
in  the  small  pot,  c. 

d.  The  stem,  to  be  severed  beyond  the  first 
plant  on  the  runner. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

July      the  sixth  leaf.     The  summer  pruning  helps  the  basal 
^31     buds  to  become  plump   and   mature,  consequently   in 
good  condition  for  yielding  fruit  the  following  year. 

Birds  and  Ripening  Fruit. — The  bird  plague  will  now 
be  at  its  worst,  and  must  be  checked  by  protecting  the 
crops  with  fish  netting.  In  the  case  of  wall  trees  the 
nets  should  be  held  a  foot  away  from  the  wall  with 
sticks,  or  blackbirds  will  throw  themselves  against  it, 
press  it  to  the  wall,  and  eat  the  fruit  through  the 
mesh. 

Grapes. — If  the  thinning  practised  some  weeks 
earlier  proves  to  be  insufficient,  berries  that  are  over- 
crowding each  other  may  be  thinned  out  now. 
The  bunches  should  be  firm,  but  not  packed 
tightly. 

Melons  in  Frames. — Place  a  flower  pot  under  each 
ripening  fruit,  in  order  to  keep  it  off  the  surface  of  the 
bed. 

Vegetables 

Late  Celery  and  Leeks, — These  may  be  planted  in 
trenches.  If  the  weather  is  dry,  water  and  shade  until 
the  plants  start  growing  afresh. 

Disease  in  Potatoes. — If  wet,  muggy  weather  should 
prevail  in  July,  brown  patches  are  likely  to  show  on  the 
leaves  of  the  Potatoes,  principally  on  the  under  side. 
If  they  spread,  an  offensive  smell  will  be  given  off. 
Inasmuch  as  spraying  with  Bordeaux  mixture  (see 
Chapter  I.)  actually  encourages  the  growth  of  Potatoes, 
apart  from  its  action  in  destroying  the  spores  of  fungi, 
growers  should  never  hesitate  to  practise  it.  The 
mixture  should  be  put  on  with  a  spraying  nozzle,  either 
fitted  to  a  syringe  for  hand  use  or  to  a  knapsack  pump, 
as  then  it  falls  like  dew  and  adheres.  When  applied 
294 


THE   HEART    OF   THE   YEAR 


through  the  rose  of  a  water-can,  it  runs  off  again.  Care 
should  be  taken  to  get  the  under  side  of  the  leaves 
coated.  One  applica- 
tion will  suffice  if  the 
spell  of  wet  weather 
is  brief,  but  a  second 
should  be  made  if 
the  weather  con- 
tinues muggy. 

Potato  Disease  on 
To  inatoes.  —  The 
Potato  disease  some- 
times spreads  to  the 
allied  plant  —  the 
Tomato.  In  this  case 
the  way  is  not  quite 
so  clear,  as  it  is  not 
desirable  to  spray 
Tomatoes  when  they 
are  nearly  ripe. 
While  the  fruit  is 
quite  small  there  is 
no  harm,  but  at 
later  stages  an  effort  should  be  made  to  check  the  disease 
by  pinching  off  the  affected  leaves  and  dusting  the 
others  with  lime. 

Planting  Winter  Greens. — The  planting  of  Borecole, 
Broccoli,  Brussels  Sprouts,  and  Savoys  should  be  com- 
pleted. 

Caterpillars  on  Greens. — Large  white  butterflies  may 
be  seen  fluttering  about  green  vegetables  in  summer, 
and  as  many  of  them  as  possible  should  be  netted 
and  killed  to  prevent  their  laying  eggs,  or  there  will 
be  a  bad  attack  of  caterpillars.  Every  caterpillar  that 
295 


July 
16-31 


Fig,  ss. — Potato  Disease  (Phytophthora). 

a.  Diseased  portions  of  tuber. 

b.  Diseased  leaves.  c.  Sound  leaves. 

d.  Cuticle  with  a  cluster  of  conidiophores. 

e.  Stomata.  f.  Spores. 
g.  A  conidium  germinating. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

July     is    noticed    on    the    plants    should    be   picked   off   and 

1^31     destroyed. 

Sowing  Cabbages  for  Spring. — Those  folk — and  they 
are  numerous — who  like  to  have  a  good  bed  of  Cabbages 
in  spring  may  sow  a  little  seed  towards  the  end  of  July. 
The  soil  should  be  well  pulverised  and  moist.  The 
drills  may  be  drawn  a  foot  apart  and  half  an  inch  deep. 
Flower  of  Spring  and  EUam's  Early  are  almost  equally 
good. 

Sowing  Onions  for  Spring  and  Early  Summer. — It  is 
common  to  make  a  sowing  of  Onions  about  this  time, 
to  yield  young  plants  for  spring  salads,  and  to  supply 
plants  for  forming  early  bulbs.  In  former  days  Flat 
Italian  Tripoli  and  Giant  Red  Rocca  were  used  for  this 
purpose,  but  nowadays  the  Lemon  (Golden)  Rocca  is 
preferred.     Ai  and  Ailsa  Craig  may  also  be  sown  now. 


July  The  Garden  in  July— A  Resume 

R&um6  In  July  the  garden  should  be  in  full  beauty  and  pro- 

ductiveness, and  the  aim  of  the  gardener  must  be  to  keep 
a  tight  grip  on  the  ground  that  he  has  made,  and  see  that 
every  advantage  gained  is  followed  up  keenly.  Growing 
crops  should  be  kept  in  vigorous  and  healthy  motion  by 
regular  hoeing  of  the  soil,  by  mulching,  by  watering, 
and  by  preventing  seed  ripening.  The  home-saving  of 
seed  is  not  economical  as  a  rule,  and  plants  go  out  of 
flower  the  quicker  when  seed  pods  are  allowed  to  form. 
A  good  example  of  this  is  found  in  the  Sweet  Pea.  If 
flowers  of  this  beautiful  annual  are  gathered  regularly, 
and  seed  production  is  prevented,  the  plants  remain 
fresh,  and  yield  abundance  of  flowers,  over  a  much 
longer  period  than  when  they  are  allowed  to  run  to 
seed. 

296 


R^sum6 


THE   HEART   OF   THE   YEAR 

Herbaceous  Calceolarias  may  be  sown  for  flowering     July 
in  the  following  spring,  and  Cinerarias,  Cyclamens,  and 
Primulas  placed  in  small   pots,   or   repotted   in   larger 
ones. 

Seed  of  biennials  and  perennials,  lists  of  which  were 
given  in  the  previous  chapter,  may  be  sown. 

Violas  which  have  been  flowering  incessantly  for 
several  weeks  should  be  clipped  over,  and  given  a  top- 
dressing  of  fresh  soil  and  manure. 

Roses  may  be  budded  after  the  first  spell  of  showery 
weather  in  July  or  August. 

Carnations  may  be  layered  towards  the  end  of  July  if 
the  side  shoots  ("grass")  are  strong  and  healthy.  The 
flower  stems  of  Carnations  should  be  staked,  and  the 
buds  may  be  thinned  if  a  limited  number  of  flowers  are 
wanted. 

Some  of  the  Chrysanthemums  which  are  being 
grown  to  produce  prize  blooms  may  show  their  first 
crown  buds  towards  the  end  of  July.  If  so  the  buds 
should  be  picked  out,  as  they  are  too  early,  and  the 
growths  which  start  below  them  thinned  to  one  on  each 
shoot. 

Ferns  must  have  shade  during  hot  sunshine,  and 
care  must  be  taken  to  prevent  their  suffering  from 
drought. 

Marguerites  are  sometimes  attacked  by  a  leaf-mining 
grub,  and  if  the  foliage  becomes  affected  the  plants  had 
better  be  looked  over,  the  leaves  pinched,  and  a  paraffin 
and  soft-soap  wash  applied. 

Mildew  may  appear  on  various  plants,  notably  Roses, 
and  at  the  first  appearance  of  it  flowers  of  sulphur  should 
be  dusted  on. 

Daffodils  may  be  lifted,  and  the  different  sizes  of 
bulbs  replanted. 

297 


Resume 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

July  The  principal  operations  in  the  fruit  garden  will  be 

preserving  ripening  fruit  from  birds,  and  summer 
pruning.  A  supply  of  fish  netting  is  almost  essential 
where  Strawberries,  bushes,  and  wall  fruit  are  grown. 
Strawberry  runners  may  be  layered. 

In  the  vegetable  garden  early  Peas  and  Potatoes  are 
maturing.  Peas  should  not  be  left  on  the  ground  after 
all  the  young  pods  have  been  gathered.  Potatoes  are 
ready  for  lifting  when  the  foliage  becomes  yellow. 

If  any  signs  of  Potato  disease  should  appear,  the 
plants  ought  to  be  sprayed  with  Bordeaux  mixture 
before  the  blight  has  time  to  spread. 

Winter  Greens  and  Cauliflowers  may  be  planted. 
If  large  white  butterflies  are  seen  fluttering  about  the 
plants,  they  should  be  caught  with  nets  if  possible,  in 
order  to  prevent  their  laying  eggs.  The  caterpillars 
which  hatch  from  the  eggs  are  injurious  to  the  plants, 
as  they  feed  on  the  foliage.  Cabbages  may  be  sown  for 
spring. 

Tomatoes  should  be  pruned,  and  given  liquid  manure 
when  swelling  their  crop  if  growing  in  poor  soil. 

Celery  and  Leeks  may  be  planted  in  prepared  ground. 
Early  Celery  can  be  partially  earthed. 

If  mildew  should  attack  the  Onion  crop,  it  ought  to 
be  checked  at  once  by  dusting  with  lime. 

Mushroom  beds  may  be  prepared  for  cropping  in 
autumn. 


298 


CHAPTER   VIII 

THE   HARVEST   MONTH    IN   THE  GARDEN 

I  HAVE  said  that  the  genuine  enthusiast  in  gardening  Aug. 
recognises  no  beginning  and  no  ending  to  a  horticultural 
year.  He  does  not  go  into  "winter  quarters"  in 
October,  and  resume  operations  in  April.  The  seasons 
impose  no  limits.  It  is  true  that  some  outdoor  tasks 
have  to  be  suspended  at  times  owing  to  unsuitable 
weather,  but  others  have  accumulated  indoors,  and  the 
opportunity  is  taken  to  make  up  arrears.  Thus  it  is 
that  gardening  years  slide  so  swiftly,  although  so 
pleasantly,  by. 

The  harvest  month  is  also  the  principal  holiday 
month,  and  it  is  probable  that  it  supplies  the  most 
severe  test  of  the  thoroughness  of  the  amateur's  de- 
votion. Many  will  be  proof  against  its  seductions,  some 
may  succumb.  Mr.  A.  C.  Benson  remarks  in  one  of  his 
pleasant  essays  that  if  a  crowd  gathers  in  a  field  there 
will  be  an  irresistible  inclination  on  the  part  of  many 
who  see  it  to  join  it,  and  of  a  few  to  fly  to  the  other  end 
of  the  world.  The  marine  parade,  the  pierrots,  the  jetty 
band  draw  the  ungardened  many  with  overwhelming 
force  in  August ;  but  the  true  garden  lover  will  avoid 
their  dust  and  clangour  with  a  shudder. 

It  has  to  be  confessed  that  some  gardens  get  a  little 

tarnished  in  August.     They  are  "the  worse  for  wear." 

The  owner  may  not  be  conscious  of  any  weakness ;  he 

may  not  be  able  to  put  his  finger  on  anything  that  is 

299 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY    WEEK 

radically  defective,  but  an  experienced  eye  can  see  that 
all  is  not  quite  as  it  should  be.  The  garden  has  not 
really  lost  its  youth,  but  it  has  arrived  at  a  stage  when 
old  age  has  become  a  possibility — hair  just  a  little 
thin,  complexion  a  wee  bit  wanting  in  freshness,  foot- 
steps tending  to  drag  instead  of  striking  out  briskly. 
Nothing  develops  quicker  than  slackness  of  this  kind. 
The  garden  decollete  \^  too  soon  the  garden /^^j/. 

It  may  be  suggested  that  such  a  condition  is  natural, 
and  therefore  to  be  expected.  Plants,  it  will  be  said, 
have  a  defined  period  of  youth,  the  same  as  animals,  and 
if  the  components  of  a  garden  sink,  by  however  slow 
degrees,  towards  the  "sere  and  yellow,"  the  garden 
collectively  must  show  the  effects  of  it.  But  this  is  not 
so  convincing  as  it  appears  at  first.  Properly  managed 
gardens  are  made  up  of  materials  which  mature  at 
different  seasons.  We  have  flowers  that  give  their  best 
beauty  in  spring,  others  in  summer,  and  others  again  in 
autumn.  We  have  early  Apples  and  late  ones.  We 
have  Potatoes  that  are  mature  in  July,  and  others  that 
do  not  ripen  until  October.  This  being  so,  it  cannot  be 
admitted  that  a  garden  must  necessarily  decline  in 
August.  Something  will  depend  on  circumstances.  A 
garden  on  a  hot,  sandy,  or  chalky  slope  in  a  dry  district 
may  fade  in  August  if  the  rainfall  is  very  scanty ;  it  will 
certainly  do  so  unless  resolute  efforts  are  made  to  keep 
it  fresh.  But  a  garden  on  good  soil  in  moist  localities 
ought  to  be  better  in  August  than  in  any  previous 
month.  There  will  be  abundance  of  Roses,  and  they 
alone  are  a  great  force.  Sweet  Peas  will  be  in  full 
glory — stronger,  taller,  more  floriferous  than  in  July. 
Gladioli  will  be  coming  into  beauty,  and  they  have  a 
wonderfully  revivifying  effect  on  a  garden.  Hollyhocks 
and  Pentstemons  will  be  at  their  best.  The  advance 
300 


HARVEST  MONTH  IN  THE  GARDEN 

guard   of  the   two   great  autumn   flowers,  Dahlia   and     Aug. 
Chrysanthemum,  will  be  in  bloom.     Flower  beds  will 
have  filled  out,  and  tuberous  Begonias  will  have  come 
nicely  into  bloom. 

The  rock  garden  will  not  be  as  gay  as  it  was  in 
spring  and  early  summer,  as  the  majority  of  the  plants 
will  have  flowered,  but  Portulacas,  Campanulas,  An- 
drosaces,  Alpine  Pinks,  Armeria,  Lithospermum,  Onosma, 
Iceland  Poppies,  Primulas,  Saxifrages,  and  Sedums  will 
be  giving  flowers. 

Herbaceous  borders  should  be  at  their  best.  If 
Paeonies  are  over,  and  Delphiniums  fading.  Phloxes, 
Hollyhocks,  Japanese  Anemones,  early  Michaelmas 
Daisies,  Chrysanthemums,  Poppies,  Monkshood,  Al- 
stromerias.  Ox-eye  Daisies,  Snapdragons,  Pentstemons, 
Gladioli,  Sea  Hollies,  Gaillardias,  Goat's  Rues,  hardy 
Geraniums,  Sunflowers,  Kniphofias,  Bergamot,  Evening 
Primroses,  Winter  Cherries  (Physalis),  Potentillas,  Rud- 
beckias.  Golden  Rod,  and  Veronicas  should  more  than 
fill  their  places. 

The  garden  of  the  suburbanist  who  makes  for  the 
seaside  for  a  fortnight  in  August  admittedly  suffers; 
in  fact,  the  annual  holiday  marks  the  turning-point  of 
his  horticultural  season.  Tis  pity.  Could  not  more 
be  done  than  is  done  to  counteract  the  effects  of  the 
owner's  absence  ?  Could  not  neighbouring  amateur 
gardeners  agree  to  help  each  other  in  this  matter,  as 
they  do  in  housing  each  other's  cats?  A  thorough 
hoeing,  removal  of  fading  flowers,  and  watering  once 
a  week  will  do  wonders  in  retrieving  a  falling  garden. 
When  an  amateur  returns  from  the  seaside  and  finds 
that  the  garden  has  undergone  a  rapid  process  of 
deterioration  (and  nothing  degenerates  more  rapidly 
than  a  garden),  he  is  apt  to  think  that  it  is  not  worth 
301 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Aug  an  effort  at  resuscitation.  His  holiday  is  over,  the 
summer  is  waning,  and  the  world  in  general  is  at  its  last 
gasp.  Kismet !  But  if  things  have  not  gone  very  far — 
if  his  first  emotion  is  one  of  surprise  that  things  are  not 
far  worse  rather  than  one  of  disgust  and  despair  because 
they  have  gone  hopelessly  to  the  bad — the  amateur  will 
pull  himself  together  and  soon  restore  matters  to  a  good 
basis.  And  this  is  as  it  should  be.  Do  we  get  so  much 
summer  in  our  isle  that  we  can  afford  to  bid  a  dejected 
good-bye  to  it  in  August  ?  Dear  me,  no  !  We  will  hang 
on  to  its  skirts  for  several  weeks  yet,  and  only  begin  to 
realise  that  it  may  be  waning  when  we  find  ourselves 
enveloped  in  a  November  fog. 


Aug.  AUGUST— First  and  Second  Weeks 

Flowers 

The  two  important  operations  of  layering  Carnations 
and  budding  Roses  may  be  carried  on  in  the  manner 
advised  in  the  previous  chapter. 

Taking  Chrysanthemuni  Buds. — The  bud  system  of 
Chrysanthemums  which  are  grown  for  the  production 
of  large  blooms  was  explained  in  Chapter  VII.  It  was 
stated  there  that  if  buds  show  in  July  they  should  be 
removed,  and  the  best  of  the  basal  shoots  selected  for 
growing  on,  the  others  being  picked  off.  A  good  many 
varieties  will  not  show  crown  buds  until  the  second  or 
third  week  in  August,  however,  and  these  will  probably 
come  right  if  allowed  to  remain.  This  being  so,  they 
should  be  left,  and  all  the  incipient  shoots  just  below 
pinched  out.  This  is  a  case  of  the  "first  crown"  buds 
being  retained.  Those  that  were  deprived  of  their  first 
crown  bud  in  July  will  form  second  ones  in  August  or 
302 


Freesia  refracta  ai  ba,  the  sweetest  of  all 
\vl\  lek-flowering  bulbs. 


HARVEST  MONTH  IN  THE  GARDEN 

early  September,  and  these  will  be  retained,  basal  shoots 
being  removed. 

Liliwns. — Lovers  of  hardy  Liliums  will  now  have  the 
satisfaction  of  seeing  most  of  their  favourites  in  full 
bloom,  although  early  kinds,  like  Candidum,  will  be  over. 
Unless  the  plants  are  well  sheltered,  it  will  be  prudent 
to  support  the  flower  stems  with  stakes,  otherwise  one 
stormy  day  might  spoil  the 
whole  season's  work.  If  the 
plants  are  growing  in  light 
soil,  two  or  three  good  soak- 
ings  of  water  and  liquid 
manure,  followed  by  a  mulch 
of  short  manure,  will  be  a 
help  to  them,  and  improve 
the  flowers. 

Potting  Freesias. — Bulbs 
that  have  been  well  roasted 
on  a  shelf  in  a  sunny  house, 
or  that  are  purchased  from 
a  dealer,  should  now  be 
potted.  Half-a-dozen  bulbs 
may  be  placed  equidistant 
in  a  5-inch  pot,  and  covered 
with  an  inch  of  soil.  The  growth  of  Freesias  is  much 
more  dehcate  than  that  of  TuHps  and  Hyacinths ;  con- 
sequently it  is  not  desirable  to  plunge  them  in  ashes 
or  fibre.  The  pots  may  be  stood  in  an  unheated  frame, 
partly  embedded  in  ashes,  until  the  shoots  have  pushed 
an  inch  through  the  soil,  when  they  may  be  transferred 
to  a  greenhouse.  Loam  with  a  little  leaf  mould  and 
sand  will  form  a  suitable  compost. 

Seedling    Herbaceous    Calceolarias. — I    previously   re- 
marked   on    the   delicacy   of   these   beautiful   plants   in 
303 


Aug-. 
1-15 


Fig.  56.— Potting  Freesias. 

a.  A  Freesia  bulb. 

b.  The  bulbs  potted. 

c.  The  covering  soiU 


Aug. 
I-I5 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

their  very  early  stages.  If  they  have  been  carefully 
handled,  they  ought  to  be  safe  by  now,  and  to  be 
ready  for  pricking  off  two  inches  apart  in  shallow  boxes 
or  pans.  The  soil  should  be  fine  and  moist,  but  not 
"soppy."     A  shady  frame  will  be  a  good  place  for  the 

plants.  With  attention  to 
ventilation  and  watering, 
they  will  not  give  much 
cause  for  anxiety  hence- 
forth. 

Zonal  Geraniums  for 
Winter. — Zonals  in  pots, 
struck  from  cuttings  a  few 
weeks  ago,  will  be  sturdy 
plants  now,  possibly  in  a 
cold  frame.  It  is  Ger- 
anium nature  to  start 
flowering  at  the  first  op- 
portunity, and  all  healthy 
young  plants  may  be 
expected  to  produce 
buds  as  naturally  as  a 
cockerel  tries  to  crow. 
The  early  bloom  should 
be  suppressed  in  the  in- 
terests of  future  excel- 
lence.    If  there   are  any 

>.  ^  ^  ,        ,    very    weak    thin    shoots 

Fig.  57.— Staking  Gladioli  (p.  305).  ^ 

fl.  The  lowest  ligature.      <5.  The  central  one.    O"     ^^C     plants,    they   had 

^' "tolhestrke^i'^^''''''^™"''^^'^''^'''"  better    be   removed  also. 

e.  The    spike   staked    and    growing    quite    Four        Or        fivC        strong 
straight.  ,  .,,1  . 

branches    will    be    quite 
enough.     An  occasional  application  of  fertiliser  will  do 
good.     Watering   and  ventilation  should  have  constant 
304 


HARVEST  MONTH  IN  THE  GARDEN 


attention.     There  is  not  likely  to  be  any  trouble  from 
insects. 

Gladioli. — These  beautiful  flowers  will  be  near  the 
flowering  stage,  if  not  actually  blooming.  The  stems 
ought  to  be  supported  with  stakes  if  they  are  being  left 
to  develop,  or  they  may  be  broken  off  by  a  heavy  wind  ; 
but  the  amateur  should  never  fear  to  cut  the  spikes  while 
young,  on  the  ground  of  spoil- 
ing the  bed,  because  if  the 
plants  are  strong,  successional 
spikes  will  appear.  Good  judg- 
ment should  be  exercised  in 
cutting.  If  some  spikes  are 
taken,  and  others  near  them 
left,  the  bed  will  be  kept  gay, 
while  at  the  same  time  the  house 
vases  are  kept  furnished.  It  is 
a  great  pleasure  to  see  flowers 
unfolding  in  water.  Soakings 
of  liquid  manure  will  help  the 
plants  to  throw  up  abundance 
of  successional  spikes. 

Support  for  Dahlias. — Some  Fig.  58.— Staking  dahlias. 
Dahlias  are  opening  their  first    <'■  The  stake  so  inserted  as  to 

^  <=>  avoid  damaging  the  tubers, 

flowers,  and    all    are    developing      b.  How  to  fasten  the  main  stem 

rapidly.     Old   plants   generally 

bloom  earlier  than  young  ones,  and  no  impatience 
need  be  felt  if  the  latter  do  not  show  signs  of 
being  at  their  best  before  September.  We  want  our 
Dahlias  for  late  summer  and  autumn,  and  are  rather 
pleased  than  annoyed  if  they  refuse  to  bloom  early. 
The  plants  ought  to  be  looked  over  now,  in  order  to 
make  sure  that  they  are  adequately  supported.  August 
gales  are  not  common,  but  they  come  sometimes,  and 
305  U 


Aug. 
1-15 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 

Aug.  are  apt  to  do  a  great  deal  of  damage  by  catching 
I~I5  gardeners  unawares.  It  is  often  thought  that  plants  are 
quite  safe,  when  examination  reveals  that  the  tying 
material  has  partially  rotted  away,  and  needs  renewal. 
If  the  shoots  of  Dahlias  are  numerous  and  crowded,  they 
must  be  thinned  out — that  is,  if  fine  flowers  are  wanted. 
Liquid  manure  will  be  of  great  help  to  the  plants. 

Butterfly  Flowers  for  Spring. — Mid-August  is  a  suit- 
able time  for  making  a  sowing  of  Butterfly  Flowers 
{Schizanthus)  to  bloom  in  the  greenhouse  next  spring. 
They  are  charming  plants,  and  give  very  little  trouble. 
About  a  dozen  seeds  may  be  sown  in  fine  soil  in  a  6-inch 
pot,  and  when  the  seedlings  appear  they  can  be  thinned 
down  to  five  of  the  best ;  or  the  plants  can  be  raised  in 
boxes,  pricked  off,  and  potted  singly  in  5-inch.  They 
will  be  all  right  on  a  light,  airy  greenhouse  shelf  through 
the  winter. 

Fruit 

Budding  Apples  and  other  Fruit  Trees.  —  The  great 
majority  of  the  fruit  trees  which  are  bought  from 
nurserymen  have  been  budded  by  them  on  to  stocks 
such  as  Paradise,  Quince,  Crab,  and  Pear.  Budding  is 
very  rarely  practised  by  amateurs,  except  in  the  case  of 
Roses,  on  account  of  the  difficulty  of  getting  stocks.  It 
requires  the  same  careful  manipulation  as  with  Roses 
(see  Chapter  VII.).  It  is  done  at  about  the  same  time, 
under  the  same  conditions,  and  in  the  same  way.  The 
following  are  the  principal  stocks  used:  for  Apples, 
Broad-leaved  Paradise,  Crab,  and  Free  ;  the  first  is  the 
best  for  bush  trees,  and  the  second  for  standards.  For 
Pears,  the  Quince  and  the  Pear ;  the  former  is  the  better 
for  bushes  and  the  latter  for  standards.  For  Plums,  the 
Mussel,  Myrobalan,  Brompton,  or  St.  Julien ;  there  is 
306 


A  POT  OF  "Butterfly  Flowers"  (Schizanthus),  a  splendid 

GREENHOUSE   PLANT,    BOTH   FOR   SPRING  AND  AUTUMN   BLOOM. 


HARVEST  MONTH  IN  THE  GARDEN 

little  superiority  in  any  for  bushes  and  standards.  For  Aug, 
Cherries,  Mahaleb,  Gean,  and  Gaskin,  the  first  for  bushes,  ^""^5 
the  others  for  standards.  For  Apricots,  Peaches,  and 
Nectarines,  the  Almond,  Mussel,  St.  Julien,  and  Bromp- 
ton.  The  stock  question  is  a  somewhat  complicated  one, 
and  in  the  main  it  is  best  left  to  nurserymen.  After  all, 
fruit  trees,  already  established  on  the  stocks,  are  very 
cheap.  The  stocks  should  not  be  budded  before  they 
are  three  years  old. 

Currants. ^Bushes  in  the  open  will  have  been  cleared 
of  their  fruit,  and  may  be  pruned,  the  Reds  and  Whites 
by  the  pinching  of  the  breastwood  to  six  leaves,  the 
Blacks  by  cutting  out  old  wood  which  has  borne  fruit. 
Top-dressings  of  manure  and  sewage  will  help  Black 
Currants  to  push  the  strong  young  wood,  which  is  so 
important  for  the  next  year's  fruiting.  Trees  trained  on 
north  walls  will  still  be  carrying  fruit,  perhaps,  and 
netting,  held  clear  of  the  wall,  will  have  to  be  used  to 
protect  it  from  birds. 

Gooseberries. — Practically  the  same  remarks  as  those 
made  with  reference  to  Red  Currants  apply  to  Goose- 
berries. The  bush  fruit  will  have  been  used,  and  late 
wall  crops  will  need  protection.  Summer  pinching  may 
be  practised  with  advantage.  A  sharp  look-out  should 
be  kept  for  the  American  mildew,  and  if  any  diseased 
patches  are  seen  on  the  young  wood,  the  twigs  should  be 
cut  out  and  burned  immediately. 

Grapes. — In  early  Vineries,  started  in  winter,  the  fruit 
may  now  have  been  used,  and  the  object  of  the  grower 
is  to  get  the  wood  ripe  and  brown,  particularly  at  the 
base  of  the  laterals,  where  good  buds  are  wanted  for  the 
following  year's  crop.  A  vigorous  washing  with  the  hose 
will  do  good  as  a  preliminary  ;  afterwards  free  ventilation 
and  full  exposure  to  sun  will  be  helpful.  If  the  laterals 
307 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY    WEEK 

Aug.  are  so  thick  that  sun  and  air  cannot  get  at  them,  they 
^"^5  should  be  shortened.  Successional  vineries  with  the 
fruit  hanging  ripe  will  prove  a  powerful  attraction  to 
wasps,  and  means  of  baffling  them  must  be  resorted  to, 
or  they  will  spoil  a  good  deal  of  fruit.  Perhaps  the 
simplest  plan  is  to  cover  the  ventilator  openings  with 
hexagon  netting,  which  large  seedsmen  supply.  Bottles 
containing  sour  beer  may  be  hung  outside  the  house  as 
traps.  Late  Grapes  will  be  advancing  towards  the 
ripening  stage,  but  they  have  a  good  deal  to  do  yet,  and 
careful  attention  should  be  devoted  to  the  ventilation. 
Close  and  damp  down  about  three  o'clock,  and  open  the 
ventilators  again  early  the  following  morning. 

Ripening  Figs. — Outdoor  Figs  will  be  ripening  now, 
and  as  the  fruit  is  of  very  little  flavour  unless  quite  ripe, 
it  will  have  to  hang  for  some  time  at  the  mercy  of  the  birds 
^  unless      netted,     and 

'^  tJ^gy  ^j.g  j^q|.  ^gj.y 

fastidious.  When  the 
fruit  is  quite  ripe  a 
point  should  be  made 
of  gathering  it  early 
in  the  morning,  and 
keeping  it  in  a  cool 
place  until  the  time 
comes  for  it  to  be  put 
on  the  table. 

Pruning  Peaches. — 
Most  Peach  and  Nec- 
tarine trees  under 
glass  will  have  been 
and  the  pruning  and 
We    saw    a    few 


Fig.  59.— Tying  in  Peaches. 

a.  How  to  tie  in  the  main  branches. 

b.  How  to  tie  in  the  young  shoots. 


cleared   of   their   fruit   by    now 
training    may    be    proceeded    with 
weeks  ago  that  a  shoot  was   to  be  allowed   to  grow 
308 


HARVEST  MONTH  IN  THE  GARDEN* 

from  the  base  of  each  fruiting  growth,  and  a  heaUhy 
tree  will  be  full  of  young  shoots,  ranging  from  a  foot  to 
two  feet  long,  by  mid-summer ;  they  will  be  growing  out 
from  the  wall,  and  will  give  the  tree  a  lively  and  luxuriant, 
but  somewhat  untidy,  appearance.  As  soon  as  the  fruit 
has  been  picked,  the  shoots  that  carried  it  may  be  cut 
back  to  the  point  where  the  new  shoots  start,  and  these 
tied  in  to  bear  next  year.  If  there  are  more  young 
shoots  than  can  be  tied  in  (the  word  "  tied  "  is  used  on 
the  assumption  that  there  are  wires  ;  if  not,  the  shoots  can 
be  fastened  to  a  wall  with  nails  and  shreds)  without 
having  them  nearer  than  four  inches  apart,  some  had 
better  be  cut  out  altogether, 
as  a  close  network  of  growth 
is  undesirable.  The  weak 
shoots,  under  a  foot  long, 
and  very  thin,  may  be  dis- 
pensed with  first.  If  there 
are  still  too  many,  the  very 
strong  ones,  a  yard  long 
or  more,  may  go.  It  is 
true  that  large  late  Peaches 
like  Princess  of  Wales  may 
be  allowed  to  carry  stronger 
wood  than  small  Nectarines 
like  Pine  Apple,  but,  speak- 
ing generally,  wood  eighteen 
to  twenty  inches  long  is 
best.  The  crossing  or  twist- 
ing of  shoots  is  considered 
bad  workmanship.  After  the  trees  have  been  pruned 
and  trained,  the  hose  may  be  turned  on  them  to  get  rid 
of  insects.  Peaches  are  sometimes  kept  too  dry  after 
fruiting,  with  the  result  that  red  spider  fastens  on  them. 
309 


Aug. 
1-15 


Fig.  60.— Repotting  Young 

Strawberries  (p.  310). 

a.  Leaves  on  drainage. 

6,  Compost. 

c.  Ball  of  soil  and  roots. 


,     THE    GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 

Aug.  Strawberries. — Very  young  plants  struck  in  small  pots 

^"^5  early  in  summer  will  now  be  well  rooted.  If  they  are 
wanted  for  forcing  they  may  be  repotted  into  6-inch 
pots.  Fibrous  loam  should  form  the  greater  part  of  the 
compost,  but  a  quarter  of  decayed  manure  and  some 
sand  may  be  added  with  advantage.  The  soil  should  be 
pressed  firmly  round  the  plants.  Well-rooted  plants 
intended  for  fruiting  next  year  in  an  outdoor  bed  may  be 
planted  immediately,  but  they  should  be  watered  in. 

Vegetables 

Asparagus. — Interest  in  Asparagus  beds  is  not,  as  a 
rule,  so  lively  in  August  as  in  May,  but  it  should  be 
remembered  that  the  success  of  the  spring  crop  depends 
in  a  great  measure  on  the  growth  which  the  Asparagus 
makes  the  previous  summer.  The  wise  grower  keeps 
his  beds  free  from  weeds,  and  nourishes  the  plants  with 
occasional  soakings  of  liquid  manure,  or  dustings  with 
chemical  fertilisers.  Nitrate  of  potash,  at  the  rate  of  an 
ounce  per  square  yard,  is  a  splendid  stimulant,  and  worth 
using,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  it  is  rather  dear. 

Beans. — Broad  Beans  will  be  over,  and  may  be  cleared 
off  the  ground.  Dwarf  French  Beans  can  only  be  kept 
growing  and  bearing  by  constant  picking  of  the  pods 
while  they  are  still  young.  Scarlet  Runners  should  also 
be  picked  regularly.  If  large  pods  are  wanted  for 
exhibition,  the  clusters  may  be  thinned.  It  is  a  help  to 
the  plants  to  give  liberal  doses  of  liquid  manure,  and  a 
mulching  of  short  yard  manure  along  the  rows  will 
further  strengthen  them,  and  help  them  to  continue 
bearing  until  autumn.  See  that  the  Runners  are  well 
supported,  and  in  case  of  doubt  add  a  few  fresh  poles 
and  stays,  or  the  row  may  be  blown  over  in  a  gale. 
310 


HARVEST  MONTH  IN  THE  GARDEN 

Cabbages. — Another  sowing  of  Cabbages  may  be  made 
for  spring  use.  See  preceding  chapter  for  varieties. 
The  soil  should  be  fine,  friable,  and  moist.  The  seedlings 
should  be  thinned  early,  and  the  hoe  run  between  the 
rows  frequently,  in  order  to  keep  the  plants  moving 
steadily.  It  is  important  that  they  should  make  uninter- 
rupted growth,  as  then  they  will  be  strong  enough  for 
planting  out  in  October,  and  are  not  likely  to  run  to  seed 
in  spring.  Seed  of  Red  or  pickling  Cabbage  may  also 
be  sown  now  :  the  plants  will  form  large,  solid  hearts 
the  following  summer. 

Cauliflowers. — Plants 
for  autumn  use  that 
were  planted  between 
Potatoes  should  be 
examined.  It  is  very 
undesirable  that  they 
should  be  overgrown. 
Keep  the  soil  loose 
about  them,  and  give 
soakings  of  water, 
followed  by  liquid 
manure,  if  the  soil 
should  get  dry. 

Celery. — Early  Celery 
will  now  be  benefited 
by  attention.  Any 
suckers  springing  from 
the  base  should  be 
picked  out,  and  the 
stems  can  be  drawn 
together  and  tied  with 
raphia.  This  will  help  extension,  which  will  be  further 
stimulated  by  copious  applications  of  water.  If  produce 
3" 


Aug. 
1-15 


Fig.  61.— Tying  and  Earthing  Celery. 

a.  New  soil  heaped  from  the  bottom  of  the 

trench. 

b.  The  plant  tied  to   prevent  soil  lodging 

in  it. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 

Aug.      is  wanted  for  show,  or  for    use  at   a   particular  time, 
I-15       brown  paper  may  be  tied  round  it,  or  earth  drawn  up  to 
the  stems,  about  a  month  beforehand. 

Lettuces  and  Endive. — It  is  common  to  make  a  sowing 
of  Lettuces  in  August  for  use  early  in  the  following 
year.  They  are  treated  like  Cabbages — that  is,  planted 
out  in  autumn,  and  wintered  in  the  open  air.  Of  the 
older  varieties,  Hicks'  Hardy  White  and  Black-seeded 
Bath  (Cos),  and  Stanstead  Park  (Cabbage-shaped),  are 
particularly  good  for  the  present  sowing,  because  they 
are  hardy  sorts.  Sow  thinly  half  an  inch  deep  in  moist, 
friable  soil.  Broad-leaved  Batavian  Endive  may  be 
sown  similarly. 

Onions  are  also  commonly  sown  in  the  early  part  of 
August.  Lemon  Rocca  is  a  good 
variety,  and  may  be  sown  an  inch 
deep. 

Spinach.  —  The  Prickly  -  seeded 
Spinach  is  often  sown  early  in  August 
for  use  in  winter,  but  it  is  a  some- 
what uncertain  crop,  owing  to  its 
liability  to  run  to  seed,  and  the  Viro- 
flay  and  Victoria  are  perhaps  more 
reliable  varieties.  The  soil  should  be 
fertile,  friable,  and  moist ;  if  dry  at 
sowing  time  it  should  be  moistened. 
The  drills  may  be  drawn  an  inch  deep 
and  eighteen  inches  apart,  and  the 
seedlings  should  be  thinned  in  due 
course. 

Tomatoes. — Any  help  that  is  pos- 
sible to  Tomatoes  swelling  up  a  crop 
of  fruit  in  the  garden  should  be  given 
now.     One   thing  that  can  be  done  is  to  reduce  the 
312 


Fig.  62.— Defoliating 
Tomatoes. 

a.  Leaves     partly     cut 

away. 
h.  Leaves  to  be  severed 

at    the    dark   cross 

lines. 


HARVEST  MONTH  IN  THE  GARDEN 

foliage,  either  by  cutting  away  part  of  the  large  leaves,  or  Aug. 
by  removing  some  of  the  lower  ones  entirely.  Tomato  ^~^S 
plants  should  never  be  stripped  of  their  leaves  entirely, 
but  the  gradual  removal  of  the  lower  ones  is  advisable,  as 
it  encourages  the  swelling  and  colouring  of  the  fruit  by 
the  greater  concentration  of  sap  and  exposure.  Another 
step  is  to  cut  round  the  plants  at  a  distance  of  about 
nine  inches ;  this  severs  the  strong,  outgrowing  roots, 
and  thereby  helps  to  check  growth. 

Winter  Greens. — Any  ground  that  becomes  vacant  by 
the  removal  of  Broad  Beans,  Peas,  Potatoes,  and  other 
crops,  and  is  not  wanted  for  any  special  purpose,  may 
be  planted  up  with  surplus  Winter  Greens.  The  ground 
is  now  very  warm,  and  if  the  plants  are  watered  in  they 
will  grow  rapidly. 


AUGUST— Third  and  Fourth  Weeks  Aug. 

16-31 

Auriculas. — In  years  gone  by  the  Auricula  was  a  great 

pet  of  the  florists,  and  was  grown  in  pots  for  exhibition. 
There  were  two  great  classes,  the  Stage  and  the  Alpine. 
The  varieties  in  the  former  were  subdivided  according 
to  the  prevailing  colour  near  the  margin  of  the  petals — 
Green-edged,  White-edged,  and  Grey-edged — and  as  Selfs. 
The  following  are  popular  representatives  of  each  class : 


Green-edged 

Grey-edged 

General  Neill 

Alma 

Rev,  F.  D.  Horner 

George  Rudd 

Sir  John  Moore 

Leah 

White-edged 

Self 

Acme 

Heroine 

Heather  Bell 

Mrs.  H.  Potts 

Maggie  Lauder 

Sunshine 

313 


THE   GARDEN  WEEK    BY   WEEK 

Aug.  The  Stage  Auriculas  are  declining  in  favour,  but  the 

^^"31  Alpines  are  holding  their  own,  because  they  make  such 
charming  dwarf  plants  for  spring  beds.  The  flowers  are 
not  more  refined  than  those  of  the  Stage  Auriculas,  but 
they  are  larger  and  the  colours  are  richer.  They  may  be 
raised  from  seed  in  summer,  the  same  as  Polyanthuses 

and  Primroses.  Those 
who  still  grow  Stage 
Auriculas  in  pots  should 
repot  them  in  summer 
in  loam  with  a  little 
decayed  manure  and 
some  sand,  and  put  them 
in  a  frame  which  is 
shaded  during  the  hottest 
part  of  the  day. 

Propagating    Bedding 
Plants.  —  Those     who 
grow      perennial      non- 
hardy    plants,    such    as 
Zonal     Geraniums, 
shrubby        Calceolarias, 
Marguerites,     Verbenas, 
and  Heliotrope,  in  beds 
will  have   the   question    of   propagation    before    them. 
The  Calceolarias  may  be  left  till  autumn  with  advantage, 
but  the  other  four  may  be  propagated  now,  by  means  of 
cuttings,  the  Geraniums  in  an  open,  sunny  place  out  of 
doors,  the  remaining  kinds  in  sandy  soil  in  pots,  which 
can  be  placed  in  a  frame  or  on  a  greenhouse  shelf.    The 
Geraniums  can  be  inserted  in  the  ordinary  garden  soil  if 
desired,  but  it  must  be  made  firm  ;  it  is  perhaps  better 
to  insert  them  in  very  sandy  soil  in  shallow  boxes,  and 
stand  these  in  a  sunny  place.     The  cuttings  should  be 
3H 


Fig.  63.— Propagating  Marguerites. 

a.  Main  stem,  cut  off  below  a  joint. 

b.  Basal  leaves  to  be  removed. 

c.  How  to  insert  cuttings  in  pots  or  boxes. 


HARVEST  MONTH  IN  THE  GARDEN 

taken  from  thick  sturdy  shoots,  cut  off  just  below  a  joint,  Aug". 
the  lower  part  divested  of  leaves  to  permit  of  inserting  16-31 
the  cuttings  half  their  depth,  and  made  quite  firm  at  the 
base.  Verbenas  strike  readily,  but  the  plan  of  propa- 
gating from  seed  sown  in  winter  is  now  preferred  by 
most  growers  of  this  old  plant.  Heliotrope  makes  better 
plants  from  cuttings  than  from  seed. 

Chrysanthemums  in  Pots. — Most  of  the  varieties  show 
their  crown  buds  (see  remarks  in  Chapter  VII.)  in  the 
second  half  of  August,  and  they  should  be  "  taken " 
(to  use  the  florists'  phrase)  at  once  by  removing  the 
cluster  of  growths  which  break  below  them.  Attend  to 
watering  carefully.  Dryness  at  this  period  would  do 
great  harm.  The  plants  are  almost  certain  to  need  water 
once  a  day  in  dry  weather,  and  may  even  require  it  two 
or  three  times. 

Calceolarias^  Cinerarias^  Cyclamens,  and  Primulas. — 
Young  plants  raised  from  seed  for  flowering  in  winter  and 
spring  will  be  at  various  stages  of  growth.  Some  will 
be  in  small  pots,  and  may  be  transferred  from  3-inch 
to  5-inch  when  the  former  are  full  of  roots.  Others  may 
be  in  pans  or  boxes,  and  ready  for  being  put  separately 
into  small  pots.  In  all  cases  use  a  sandy  compost  con- 
sisting mainly  of  loam,  and  pot  firmly.  No  water  will 
be  needed  for  two  or  three  days  if  the  soil  is  moist  at 
potting  time,  but  when  the  plants  recommence  growing, 
which  may  be  taken  as  evidence  of  fresh  root  activity, 
water  may  be  given  regularly  in  dry  weather.  Seed  of 
Cyclamens  may  be  sown  in  a  greenhouse  to  give  plants 
for  flowering  next  summer.  Any  plants  which  are  now 
showing  bloom  may  be  supported  with  top-dressings  of 
fertiliser. 

Daffodils  and  Narcissi. — It  was  stated  in  the  seventh 
chapter  that  those  who  have  clumps  of  these  beautiful 
315 


THE   GARDEN    WEEK    BY   WEEK 

Aug.     plants  in  the  garden  might  Hft,  divide,  and  replant  the 
1^31     bulbs.      Those   who   have   to   purchase  need    not   buy 

before  they  procure  their 


Fig.  64.— Daffodils  in  Boxes. 
a.  Drainage. 

i.  The  bulbs  buried  in  the  compost. 
e.  How  to  dispose  the  bulbs  in  the  box. 


main  bulb  supply  in 
October,  unless  they 
vi^ant  to  force  for  early 
bloom ;  in  the  latter 
case  they  may  order  at 
once,  and  put  the  bulbs 
close  together  in  large 
pots  or  boxes,  in  a 
compost  of  loam  (pre- 
dominating), leaf  mould, 
and     sand.       The     two 

earliest  of  the  Polyanthus  or  bunch-flowered  Narcissi 

are  Paper  White  and   Double   Roman  ;   Golden  Spur, 

Henry    Irving,    Obval- 

laris,  and  Pallidus  Prae- 

cox  are  early  Daffodils. 

All    may   be   buried    in 

ashes  or  cocoa-nut  fibre 

refuse  for  a  few  weeks. 
Freesias  and  Roman 

Hyacinths.  —  Pot    more 

of  these  beautiful  early 

flowering    bulbs.      The 

Hyacinths    should     be 

plunged    like   the    Daf- 
fodils, but  the  Freesias 

should  not. 

Pruning     Hedges. — 

Those  who  satisfy  themselves  with  clipping  Privet  and 

Thorn  Hedges  once  a  year  had  better  do  it  soon,  for 

the   shoots   will   soon    cease    extending    and    begin   to 
316 


Fig.  65.— Pruning  a  Privet  Hedge. 

a.  A  thin  part  of  the  hedge. 

b.  Stronger  parts. 

c.  How  the  hedge  should  be  cut,  or  pruned 

back. 


HARVEST  MONTH  IN  THE  GARDEN 

harden.  Privet  is  often  pruned  twice — in  June  and 
in  September.  Young  hedges  are  greatly  strengthened 
at  the  base  by  being  well  pruned 
back. 

Pelargoniums  in  Pots. — Plants  that 
were  rested  and  cut  back  after 
flowering  may  now  be  turned  out 
of  the  pots,  a  good  deal  of  the 
old  soil  crumbled  away  from  the 
roots,  and  repotted.  Later  plants 
that  have  ripened  up  their  wood  may 
be  cut  back. 

Zonal  Geraniums  for  Winter. — 
Zonals  in  3-inch  pots  may  be  trans- 
ferred to  6-inch,  and  the  latter  re- 
garded as  the  flowering  size.  The 
best  place  for  them  until  the  autumn 
rains  begin  (when  they  should  go 
into  a  frame),  is  an  ash  bed  in  the 
open  garden.  They  will  need  a  good 
deal  of  water  when  growing  freely. 
Continue  to  nip  off  any  flower  stems 
that  push. 

Fruit 

Gathering  Apples  and  Pears. — The  progress  of  the 
season  is  marked  by  the  fact  that  some  of  the  earlier 
varieties — such  as  Irish  Peach,  Lady  Sudeley,  Mr.  Glad- 
stone, Duchess  of  Oldenburg,  Lord  Suffield,  and  Lord 
Grosvenor  Apples  ;  and  Jargonelle  and  Williams'  Bon 
Chretien  Pears — are  either  ripe  or  near  enough  to  it  for 
use.  A  safe  test  of  ripeness  is  to  raise  the  fruit 
until  the  stalk  is  slightly  above  the  horizontal  at  the 
apex  or  fruit  end.  This  brings  a  gentle  pressure  to 
317 


Aug. 
16-31 


Fig.   66.— Stopping 
Zonal  Geraniums. 

a.  The  point  of  the  stem 
pinched  off. 

b.  The  dotted  lines  show 
the  resultant  growth 
of  the  side  shoots. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Aug",      bear  on  the  base,  and  if  the  stem  breaks  away  the  fruit 
l6"3l     is  ready,  but  there  ought   not   to  be  any  necessity  for 

twisting.  The  fruit  should  be 
spread  on  plain,  clean  boards  in 
a  cool,  airy,  sweet  place.  The 
Pears  may  require  a  little  time 
to  become  quite  mellow,  but  care 
must  be  taken  that  the  Williams' 
does  not  go  too  far.  It  is  soon 
past  its  best. 

Plums. — Early  Plums,  such  as 
Rivers'  Prolific  and  The  Czar,  are 
now  ready,  and  later  varieties  are 
approaching  ripening.  If  trees 
of  Victoria  are  heavily  laden, 
support  the  branches  with  poles, 
as  this  variety  is  liable  to  break 
down  wdth  the  weight  of  its 
crop. 

Raspberries.  —  The   old    canes 

will   have   been   cleared  of   their 

fruit  by  now,  and  it  will  facilitate 

the  ripening  of  the  young  ones  if 

the  fruiters  are  cut  right  out  immediately.     Should  the 

stools   be  very  strong   ones,  and   have   thrown   up   in 

consequence  a  large  number  of  young  canes,  some  of 

these  had  better  be  cut  out  also.     Half-a-dozen  strong 

canes  per  stool  will  be  ample.     It  will  help  them  if  a 

good  soaking  of  liquid  manure  and  a  mulch  of  stable 

manure  are  given. 

Strawberries. — Where  the  advice  given  to  strike  early 

rurmers  in  pots  has  been  followed  there  will  now  be  a 

sufficient  stock  of  young  plants,  and  any  later  runners 

which  form  in  the  bed  may  be  cut  away.     If  left  they 

318 


Fig.  67.— Gathering  Fruit. 

a.  An  Apple  gathered  in  the  wrong 
way,  as  the  buds  are  pulled 
away,  b,  and  the  leaves  also,  c. 

d.  The  Apple  properly  raised  and 
gathered. 

c.  The  stem  parting  from  the 
branch. 

f.  Leaves  and  basal  buds  left  intact, 


HARVEST  MONTH  IN  THE  GARDEN 

root  in  the  ground,  and  the  rows  get  full  of  tangled 

growths.      Those  who  rely   on    self-struck    plants    for 

their    stock    should  pot  up   the    strongest   as  soon   as 

possible     and     clear    the 

rest  away.     The  bed  then 

can   be   weeded,  and  left 

clean  for  the  winter.    The 

late    self  -  struclc    runners 

are  not  likely  to  be  of  any 

use  for  fruiting  before  the 

second  year. 

Vegetables 

Broccoli. — If  Broccoli, 
and  other  kinds  of  winter 
Greens,  have  been  planted 
between  Potatoes,  the  crop 
of  which  is  now  being 
lifted,  the  plants  should  be 
made  thoroughly  firm  by 
levelling  the  soil  and  tread- 
ing it  round  the  stems. 
The  dwarfer,  the  harder, 
the  plants  get  now,  the  more  likely  they  are  to  pass 
the  winter  safely.  Tall,  drawn,  loose,  flabby  plants  are 
nearly  sure  to  be  killed  if  a  mild  autumn  is  followed 
by  a  severe  winter. 

Cabbages. — Sowing  for  spring  use  has  been  advocated 
already,  and  it  only  remains  to  say  that  if  not  already 
done  there  should  be  no  further  delay.  Plants  from 
earlier  sowings  will  now  be  up,  and  should  be  protected 
from  birds  with  netting  until  they  get  a  few  inches  high. 
If  the  soil  is  hoed  weekly  the  plants  will  grow  rapidly, 
and  be  quite  ready  for  planting  by  October. 
319 


Aug, 
16-31 


Fig.  68.— Pruning  Raspberries  (p.  318). 

a.  An  old  and  a  weak  young  cane,  both 

must  be  cut  away. 

b.  Young  canes  that  must  be  retained. 

c.  How  to  prune  a  newly-planted  cane. 

d.  Basal  buds. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Aug*.  Cauliflowers, — The  autumn  crop  ought  to  be  making 

I0~3I  steady  progress  towards  maturity,  and  regular  hoeing 
will  help  it.  Liquid  manure  will  be  beneficial.  It  is 
the  practice  of  some  growers  to  sow  seed  now  for  a 
supply  in  early  summer  of  the  following  year,  and  the 
old  variety  Early  London  is  a  popular  one  for  the  pur- 
pose. If  transplanted  in  autumn  in  a  sheltered  place, 
they  often  stand  the  winter ;  but  in  view  of  the  uncer- 
tainty, other  growers  make  a  practice  of  sowing  in  heat 
in  January,  hardening  the  plants  in  a  frame,  and  putting 
them  out  at  the  end  of  April. 

Celery, — Much  can  be  done  to  improve  this  valuable 
crop  now.  In  heavy,  naturally  moist  soil  water  will  not 
be  necessary,  but  in  light,  dry  land  it  will  have  a  great 
influence  for  good.  A  weekly  soaking  of  liquid  manure 
will  help  also,  and  this  may  take  the  form  of  water  in 
which  an  ounce  of  superphosphate  per  gallon  has  been 
dissolved.  Half-developed  plants  may  be  tied  top  and 
bottom  with  raphia.  Early  crops  may  be  earthed  by 
drawing  soil  up  to  them  as  high  as  the  tips  of  the  stems ; 
care  should  be  taken  that  soil  does  not  get  into  the 
hearts.  Later  crops  need  not  be  earthed  for  another 
month. 

Cucumbers  in  Frames. — A  good  crop  of  fruit  may 
have  been  cut  already,  but  the  plants  will  keep  on 
bearing  for  a  good  while  yet  if  they  are  properly  tended. 
It  encourages  continuous  bearing  to  cut  all  the  fruit 
while  it  is  quite  young.  When  the  Cucumbers  are  al- 
lowed to  grow  to  a  great  size,  bearing  is  checked.  One 
thing  that  may  be  done  is  to  thin  out  the  old  growths 
and  encourage  new  shoots  by  giving  a  top-dressing  of 
fresh  soil.  They  will  soon  begin  to  bear,  and  the  shoots 
can  be  stopped  a  leaf  beyond  the  fruit. 

Corn  Salad. — Some  gardeners  use  this  as  a  substitute 
320 


HARVEST  MONTH  IN  THE  GARDEN 

for  Lettuces  in  winter  and  spring  Salads.  Seeds  for  Aug", 
that  purpose  may  be  sown  now  in  drills  nine  inches  16-31 
apart. 

Leeks. — Growers  of  Leeks  must  blanch  the  stems, 
just  as  in  the  case  of  Celery.  There  is  no  need  to 
earth  up  at  present,  so  far  as  plants  grown  for  general 
use  in  winter  and  spring  are  concerned,  but  if  a  few 
specimens  have  been  grown  in  a  trench  for  exhibition 
in  late  summer  or  autumn,  they  may  be  earthed 
up.  Blanched  stems  about  a  foot  long  and  two  inches 
thick  throughout — not  bulbous  at  the  base  and  thin 
above — find  favour  with  judges. 

Potatoes. — All  the  early  crops,  and  perhaps  some  of 
the  second  earlies,  may  be  lifted  now.  The  tubers 
should  be  allowed  to  lie  on  the  ground  for  twenty-four 
hours  Tor  the  skin  to  set  and  get  dry.  Later  crops  are 
hardly  likely  to  be  ready  for  lifting  yet,  and  so  long 
as  the  tops  are  green  and  growing  they  may  be  left  in 
the  ground.  It  is  not  a  bad  plan,  however,  to  lift  a  few 
roots  while  the  plants  are  still  green  if  sets  are  wanted 
for  planting  next  year,  because  it  has  been  found  that 
immature  Potato  sets  make  better  seed  than  ripe  ones. 
They  are  not  so  good  for  eating,  of  course.  The 
Potatoes  which  are  to  be  cooked  may  be  put  in  a 
store  and  covered  with  straw,  or  placed  in  a  mound  in 
a  well-drained  spot  in  the  garden,  surfaced  with  a  6-inch 
thickness  of  straw,  and  the  whole  covered  with  soil. 
There  should  be  a  vent-hole,  stuffed  with  straw,  to 
permit  of  moisture  escaping. 

Tomatoes, — From  now  onwards  all  the  energies  of 
the  plants  ought  to  be  concentrated  on  developing  the 
crop.  The  tips  should  be  pinched  out  if  the  plants 
are  still  growing,  and  the  lower  leaves  trimmed  or 
removed.  Water  and  liquid  manure  will  be  helpful. 
321  X 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Augf.  Turnips. — A   sowing   of   Snowball  or  White   Model 

^^31     niay  be  made  for  use  in  autumn. 


Aug.  The  Garden  in  August — A  Resum6 

R6sum6  August  is  the  great  holiday  month  of  the  year,  and 

gardens  sometimes  deteriorate  owing  to  the  absence 
of  their  owners.  Where  professional  gardeners  are 
not  kept,  an  arrangement  should  be  made  to  have  the 
garden  looked  after,  as  if  it  degenerates  very  much 
during  the  holidays,  it  is  often  allowed  to  run  wild  for 
the  rest  of  the  summer.  A  garden  ought  to  give  great 
pleasure  for  many  weeks  yet. 

Among  flowers,  some  of  the  most  important  opera- 
tions in  August  will  be  the  completion  of  Rose  budding, 
Carnation  layering,  and  taking  the  buds  off  Chrysanthe- 
mums which  are  being  grown  for  the  production  of 
large  blooms. 

Liliums  may  be  staked,  watered,  and  helped  with 
liquid  manure. 

Fragrant  Freesias  and  white  Roman  Hyacinths  may 
be  potted  for  early  blooming  in  the  greenhouse  and 
conservatory. 

Young  herbaceous  Calceolarias,  Cinerarias,  Cycla- 
mens, and  Primulas  may  be  pricked  off  or  repotted 
as  the  case  may  be. 

Zonal  Geraniums  that  are  being  grown  for  winter 
blooming  in  pots  should  be  prevented  flowering  at 
present,  all  the  flower  stems  that  show  being  picked  off. 

Dahlias  must  be  looked  after  to  see  that  they  are 
adequately  staked.  The  shoots  may  be  thinned  and 
liquid  manure  given. 

Schizanthuses  ("Butterfly  Flowers")  may  be  sown 
for  flowering  in  spring. 

322 


HARVEST  MONTH  IN  THE  GARDEN 

Stage  Auriculas  should  be  repotted.    Alpine  Auriculas     Aug. 
are  generally  grown  out  of  doors.  -^ — 

The  propagation  of  such   bedding  plants   as  Zonal    ^^^ums 
Geraniums,  Heliotrope,   Marguerites,  and  Verbenas  by 
cuttings  may  be  practised. 

Early  Daffodils  and  Narcissi  may  be  put  into  pots 
or  boxes,  and  plunged  for  early  flowering. 

Hedges  may  be  pruned.  Pelargoniums  may  be 
repotted. 

In  the  fruit  garden  the  budding  of  fruit  trees  may 
be  performed. 

Currants  and  Gooseberries  may  be  pruned  and  top- 
dressed  with  manure. 

Wasps  must  be  excluded  from  Vineries,  and  late 
Grapes  encouraged  to  ripen  by  careful  ventilation. 

Peaches  and  Nectarines  which  have  been  cleared 
of  their  crop  may  be  pruned  and  trained,  old  wood 
being  cut  out  and  young  tied  in. 

Strawberries  for  forcing  may  be  repotted,  and  early- 
rooted  plants  intended  for  the  garden  put  out. 

Early  Apples  and  Pears  may  be  gathered  when  the 
stalk  parts  from  the  tree  readily.  Heavily  laden  Plum 
trees  should  be  supported  with  stakes. 

The  old  canes  of  Raspberries  may  be  cut  out  after 
the  fruit  has  been  gathered. 

In  the  kitchen  garden  attention  may  be  given  to  the 
Asparagus  bed.     Liquid  manure  will  do  good. 

Kidney  Beans  must  be  regularly  picked,  or  they  will 
soon  go  out  of  bearing.  Soakings  of  liquid  manure  may 
be  given. 

Cabbage  seed  may  be  sown  to  give  plants  suitable 
for  use  in  spring,  and  Cauliflowers  for  summer  crops. 

Suckers  should  be  removed  from   Celery,   and   the 
plants  tied.     Early  crops  may  be  earthed  up. 
323 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 

Aug.  Lettuces   and    Endive   may   be   sown   to   stand   the 

—  winter  and  give  early  Salads  the  following  year.  Onions, 
Corn  Salad,  and  Spinach  may  be  sown  also. 

Tomatoes  should  be  stopped,  and  the  lower  leaves 
curtailed  or  removed.  Liquid  manure  will  do  good 
in  poor  soil. 

Winter  Greens  of  various  kinds  may  be  planted. 
Particular  care  should  be  taken  to  make  Broccoli  firm, 
or  it  will  be  killed  in  winter. 

Leeks  intended  for  show  may  be  earthed  up  to 
blanch  the  stems. 

Cucumbers  in  frames  may  be  looked  over,  old 
growths  pruned  out,  and  a  top-dressing  given. 

Early  Potatoes  may  be  lifted  and  stored. 

Turnips  may  be  sown  for  autumn. 


324 


CHAPTER   IX 

IN    INDIAN    SUMMERS 

In  "  Indian  summers  "  the  September  garden  is  a  place  Sept. 
of  joy.  The  dehcious,  dewy  mornings  have  the  freshness 
of  April,  the  noons  have  the  warmth  of  June,  the  even- 
ings are  mild  and  sweet.  Statisticians  might  reply  to 
any  rhapsodies  on  Indian  summers  by  the  production  of 
figures  which  prove  that  they  are  rare  in  Great  Britain, 
but  what  gardener  ever  takes  any  notice  of  a  statistician? 
Horticulturists  are  a  class  unto  themselves,  and  if  they 
elect  to  make  their  plans  as  though  every  September 
could  be  trusted  to  give  the  ideal  conditions  for  garden- 
ing, who  will  declare  them  foolish  and  misguided  ? 
Is  it  unwise  to  provide  that  the  garden  shall  be  pleasant 
through  every  hour  of  September  ?  Is  it  misguided  to 
put  late-blooming,  fragrant  plants  near  a  favourite  seat  ? 
No,  no.  If  some  days  are  wet,  others  are  fine,  and  at  the 
worst  the  flowers  can  be  cut  and  carried  into  the  house. 
My  view  is  that  we  should  wring  the  last  drop  of 
enjoyment  out  of  a  garden.  We  should  never  let  our 
interest  in  it  slacken  while  there  is  one  plant  blooming, 
or  one  blade  of  grass  growing,  or  one  fruit  on  the  trees, 
or  one  pod  left  on  the  Scarlet  Runners.  We  should 
work  in  September,  weather  permitting,  with  as  much 
zest  as  if  the  year  were  beginning.  The  fact  that  sports- 
men of  the  classes  have  begun  partridge  shooting,  and  of 
the  masses  football ;  that  the  regatta  season  is  over,  and 
the  great  outdoor  exhibitions  are  announcing  their  last 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Sept.  few  days ;  that  a  cricket  team  is  taking  ship  for  the 
Antipodes,  and  that  pleasure  steamers  are  going  into 
winter  quarters — all  these  things  have  no  bearing  on 
garden  operations.  The  great  facts  with  us  are  that 
Dahlias  are  at  their  best  and  early  Chrysanthemums 
beginning  ;  that  Michaelmas  Daisies  are  opening  rapidly 
and  bulb  catalogues  arriving  by  every  post.  Then,  too, 
there  is  that  bed  of  tuberous  Begonias  which  languished 
a  little  during  the  hot,  dry  days  of  July,  but  which 
freshened  up  so  marvellously  under  the  August  rains. 
See  it  now,  a  glorious  mass  of  blossom  ;  white,  blush, 
pink,  rose,  salmon,  and  scarlet.  The  salmon  tints  in  the 
double  Begonias  are  indescribably  lovely. 

The  Begonia  bed  alone  would  be  the  making  of  the 
garden,  but  the  Sweet  Peas,  constantly  picked  through- 
out the  hot  weather,  are  still  full  of  bloom  ;  Dorothy 
Perkins  Rose  is  nearly  as  fresh  as  ever,  and  the  Water 
Lilies  are  only  inferior  to  their  former  glory  in  that  the 
flowers  are  a  little  smaller — the  colours  are  as  bright  and 
clear  as  they  were  in  July. 

We  cannot  help  a  few  falling  leaves.  Foliage  will 
thin  down  as  the  summer  wanes.  And  there  is  much 
beauty  in  the  leaves  that  remain. 

Do  some  readers  confess  to  a  slight  feeling  of  depres- 
sion when  summer  flowers  have  to  be  cleared  away,  and 
the  fact  comes  home  that  the  rearguard  has  been  called 
up  ?  Do  they  carry  the  foresight  that  becomes  a  second 
nature  in  gardening  to  the  extent  of  realising  that  when 
the  Dahlias,  Begonias,  Chrysanthemums,  and  Michael- 
mas Daisies  are  done,  there  will  be  nothing  to  take  their 
places  ?  Let  me  offer  an  unfailing  specific — it  is  in- 
stantly to  project  some  scheme  of  improvement  for  next 
year,  and  forthwith  plunge  enthusiastically  into  it,  even 
if  no  more  can  be  done  for  the  moment  than  to  make  a 
326 


IN   INDIAN   SUMMERS 

rough  plan  on  paper.  Perhaps  there  is  an  exposed  strip  Sept. 
of  garden  which  we  can  persuade  ourselves  would  be 
the  better  for  a  rustic  fence,  and  this,  covered  with 
rambling  Roses,  would  add  a  new  charm  to  the  garden. 
Or  we  have  an  idea  for  a  belt  of  shrubs,  or  a  new  wood- 
land path.  Thus  simply  can  we  suppress  the  ugly 
spectre  of  depression,  and  feed  the  sacred  flame  of 
garden  love. 


SEPTEMBER— First  and  Second  Weeks  Sept. 

I-I5 

Flowers 

Arum  Lilies. — We  decided  to  plant  our  Arum  Lilies 
out  of  doors  late  in  spring,  in  order  to  save  that  necessity 
for  incessant  watering  which  exists  when  the  plants  are 
kept  in  pots.  We  planted  them  in  a  trench,  where  they 
established  themselves  cheerfully.  They  are  now  strong 
plants,  and  in  view  of  the  necessity  of  lifting  them 
towards  the  end  of  the  month,  we  shall  act  wisely  by 
checking  the  growth  at  once.  This  can  be  done  by 
chopping  round  them  with  a  spade  some  nine  inches 
from  the  stem,  so  as  to  sever  the  out-running  roots. 

Young  Carnations. — If  we  layered  our  "grass"  early, 
the  plants  will  now  be  well  rooted.  Whether  they  are 
or  not  can  be  ascertained  quite  easily  by  scraping  away 
the  soil  round  the  layering  peg.  There  will  probably 
be  a  cluster  of  fibres  a  couple  of  inches  thick,  in  which 
case  the  stem  may  be  cut  through  and  the  plant  taken  up 
without  any  hesitation.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  there  are 
only  a  few  short  threads  of  root,  more  time  should  be 
allowed,  and  the  mounds  should  be  moistened  if  dry. 
The  young  plants  can  be  put  direct  into  the  positions 
which  they  are  to  flower  in  next  year  if  desired,  and  on 
327 


THE   GARDEN    WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Sept.  the  whole  they  are  best  out  of  doors,  as  they  are  less 
l~^5  liable  to  destruction  by  "  rust " — a  fungus  which  causes 
brown  patches  on  the  leaves,  and  leads  to  great  loss  of 
foliage.  There  is  a  certain  risk  of  injury  by  frost,  but 
the  plant  is  really  hardy  in  most  soils.  It  is  more  likely 
to  be  killed  on  a  damp  site  than  on  a  well-drained  one. 
Rabbits  must  be  excluded  from  the  garden.  These 
animals  will  come  close  to  a  house  in  the  quietude  of 
dawn,  and  they  are  very  fond  of  Carnations.  The 
majority  of  growers  pot  their  young  plants,  and  winter 
them  on  a  bed  of  cinders  in  an  unheated  frame.  If  they 
can  be  kept  free  from  rust,  such  plants  are  certainly 
bigger  in  spring,  as  a  rule,  than  plants  which  have  been 
wintered  in  the  open  air ;  but  they  must  be  examined 

periodically,  and  any 
infected  leaves  re- 
moved. Three  and  a 
half  or  4-inch  pots 
will  be  suitable,  ex- 
cept for  very  strong 
plants,  which  may 
have  5-inch.  The  soil 
should  consist  mainly 
of  fibrous  loam,  with 
a  liberal  dash  of  sand. 
The  plants  should  be 
potted  firmly. 

Chrysanthemum 
Buds. —  I    have    de- 
scribed the   "crown" 
buds   on   Chrysanthe- 
mums, and  told  how  they  generally  appear  in  August. 
They  are   distinguished,   as    I    have   said,    by   the   fact 
that  a   cluster   of  growing   shoots   breaks  out   beneath 
328 


Fig.  69.— Taking  Terminal  Buus  off 
Chrysanthemums, 

a.  The  terminal  bud. 

b.  Smaller  buds  which  must  be  cut  off, 

as  denoted  by  the  dark  lines. 


IN   INDIAN   SUMMERS 

them.  If,  instead  of  a  flower  bud  with  its  attendant  1-15* 
set  of  growth  buds,  a  cluster  forms  which  consists 
entirely  of  flower  buds,  a  large  one  in  the  centre  and 
small  ones  around,  we  no  longer  have  "crown"  but 
"terminal"  buds.  We  see  that  when  a  crown  bud 
forms,  the  plant  has  not  finished  producing  shoots, 
because  the  leaf  buds  below  the  crown  would  carry 
growth  on  if  they  were  not  pinched  out ;  but  when  the 
branch  produces  a  cluster  of  flower  buds  only,  it  may 
be  taken  as  a  sign  that  there  will  be  no  more  shoots 
produced.  I  describe  the  terminal  buds,  because  plants 
which  are  grown  under  less  severe  restriction  than  the 
prize  bloom  plants  may  not  produce  crown  buds  at  all, 
and  if  readers  knew  only  of  the  latter  they  would  be 
surprised  to  have  a  cluster  of  flower  buds  without  any 
growth  buds  beneath  them,  and  wonder  what  was  the 
best  thing  to  do.  "  Are  terminal  buds  ever  used  for 
prize  blooms  ? "  it  may  be  asked.  The  answer  is  that  it 
is  quite  exceptional.  Sometimes  a  plant  grown  on  the 
three-stem  principle  is  developed  with  terminal  buds, 
and  large  flowers  got,  but  the  crown  bud  is  generally 
used.  Terminal  buds  on  bush  plants  may  be  thinned 
down  to  the  central  one  if  a  few  fairly  large  flowers  are 
wanted,  but  if  a  plant  full  of  flowers  is  required,  to  give 
small  blooms  suitable  for  cutting,  the  clusters  may  be 
left  unthinned. 

Dahlias  in  Bloom. — September  is  the  great  month  of 
the  Dahlia,  and  the  most  must  be  got  out  of  the  plant 
that  it  can  possibly  give.  Sometimes  the  flowers  do  not 
show  up  very  well,  owing  to  being  partially  hidden 
among  the  leaves  ;  a  little  judicious  thinning  and  staking 
will  do  something  to  remedy  this  trouble.  Soakings  of 
water  and  mulchings  of  manure  will  help  to  maintain 
the  display  of  flowers. 

329 


Sept. 
1-15 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY    WEEK 

Dracaenas. — The  Dracaena  is  one  of  the  most  popular 
of  foliage  plants  for  warm  houses,  and  is  very  handsome 

when  well  grown.  Now 
is  a  good  time  to  repot 
plants  which  need  it. 
Moreover,  the  tops  of 
long,  overgrown  plants 
may  be  taken  off,  in- 
serted in  small  pots,  and 
struck  in  a  warm,  moist 
propagator. 

Dividing  Pinks.  —  I 
spoke  of  the  propagation 
of  Pinks  by  pipings  in  an 
early  chapter.  If  desired, 
large  plants  of  the  free- 
growing  varieties  can  be 
increased  by  division.  The 
clumps  can  be  pulled  into 
several  pieces,  each  with 
roots  attached,  andplanted 
separately. 

Striking  Rose  Cuttings. 
— The  propagation  of 
Roses  by  budding  was  dealt  with  in  Chapter  VII.,  and  it 
was  stated  that  although  a  good  many  Roses  are  budded 
on  to  standard  Briers  taken  from  the  hedges,  still  more — 
especially  in  the  nurseries — are  budded  on  to  dwarf 
Brier  stocks  which  were  raised  from  cuttings.  This 
may  have  suggested  the  question  :  "  If  Brier  cuttings 
can  be  struck,  why  not  Rose  cuttings  ?  Why  make 
two  operations,  the  first  the  propagation  of  the  Brier, 
the  second  that  of  budding  the  Rose  on  to  it,  when  one 
will  do  ? "  Roses  may  be  struck  from  cuttings,  but 
330 


Fig.  70.— Striking  the  Top  of  a 
Dracaena. 

a.  The  top  of  the  plant  and  the  point 
where  it  should  be  cut  off. 

h.  The  top  tied  loosely. 

c.  Sand  placed  around  the  base  of  the 
cutting  in  a  deep,  narrow  pot. 


IN   INDIAN    SUMMERS 

it  is  not  general  for  the  different  varieties  to  come  so     Sept. 

strong  and  early  as  from  buds.    Those  who  wish   to      ^"^5 

try  home  raising  may  do  so,  and  the  present  time 

is  suitable.     It  is  well  to  take  firm  shoots  of  the 

current   year's   growth    (those    that    have    borne 

flowers  will  do)  seven  or  eight  inches  long,  and 

insert  them  nearly  to  the  top  quite  firmly.     They  |l 

may  be  put  in  two  inches  apart  in  a  row.     Brier 

cuttings  for   stocks  may  be  struck   in  the  same 

way. 

Foj'cing  Tulips  for  Early  Bloom. — Bulb  dealers  lij 

supply  a  class  of  Tulip  called  the  Due  van  Thol  Jll"] 

which  is  very  much  earlier  in  bloom   than   the 
majority  of  Tulips,   and  it   can   be  utilised   for 
forcing.     The  typical  variety  has  red  and  yellow 
flowers,  but  scarlet,  yellow,  and  white,  in  separate 
colours,    can    be   got   also.     Bulbs   and    flowers 
are  alike  small.     As  many  as  six  bulbs  may  be 
put  into   a   5-inch   pot.      A   compost   of   loam, 
leaf   mould    (one    quarter),   and    sand    will   suit.    Striking 
and    the    bulbs    should    be    buried    nearly,   but   cuttings. 
not  quite,  to  the  tips.     They  may  be   plunged  ''•  ^sev"erin1 
in    ashes    or   cocoa-nut   fibre   refuse   for  a   few       cutting. 

.  b.  Portion  to 

weeks,  and   then   pushed   on  m   a  warm  house,       be    cut 
like  Roman  Hyacinths  and  early  Narcissi. 


Fruit 

Figs  on  Outdoor  Walls. — The  young  wood  which  has 
formed  on  Fig  trees  during  the  past  summer  should 
not  be  allowed  to  sway  loose  and  wild  in  the  wind, 
but  should  be  nailed  into  the  wall  with  shreds.  If 
some  old  wood  has  to  be  cut  out  to  make  room  for 
it,  so  much  the  better.  There  need  be  no  hesitation 
331 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Sept.     about  thinning  Fig  wood  ;  it  is  rarely  practised  suffi- 

^"^5      ciently.     If  a  second  crop  of  fruit  has  formed,  and  now 

hangs  on  the  trees  without  any  appearance  of  swelHng, 

it  may  be  removed,  for  if  left  it  will  only  fall  in  the 

spring. 

Grapes. — The  Grapes  will  long  have  been  cleared 
from  early  Vines,  and  the  latter  will  be  ripening  their 
wood  and  maturing  their  buds.  But  in  later  houses 
the  fruit  may  be  hanging  ripe.  The  fruit  keeps  well 
on  the  Vines  if  the  house  is  cool  and  the  foliage  thin. 
If  fruit  is  not  yet  ripe,  it  will  be  well  to  put  a  little  heat 
into  the  hot-water  pipes  in  dull  weather.  The  borders 
should  be  watered  if  they  get  dry. 

Gathering  Fruit. — Amateurs  are  often  in  a  difficulty 
because  they  do  not  know  what  to  do  with  fruit  which 
shows  no  signs  of  ripening.  Some  Apples  and  Pears 
are  still  quite  hard  and  green,  while  others  mellowed 
long  ago.  The  explanation  is  that  the  former  are 
naturally  late  varieties.  They  may  never  ripen  on  the 
trees  at  all,  and  have  to  be  gathered  unripe,  but  that 
need  not  be  done  for  a  month  or  six  weeks.  It  is 
sufBcient  for  the  present  to  gather  fruit  that  parts  from 
the  tree  without  hard  pressure.  It  often  happens  that 
even  in  the  case  of  one  particular  variety  some  of  the 
fruits  are  soft  before  others,  so  that  there  need  be  no 
general  gathering.  It  is  a  pleasure  to  prolong  this 
interesting  and  pleasant  task.  Apples  like  Lord  Suffield, 
Lord  Grosvenor,  New  Hawthornden,  Bismarck,  Keswick 
Codlin,  Duchess  of  Oldenburg,  Duchess  of  Gloucester, 
and  Worcester  Pearmain  may  be  expected  to  be  ready 
for  gathering  soon.  Such  Pears  as  Jargonelle,  Williams' 
Bon  Chretien,  Caillot  Rosat,  Dr.  Jules  Guyot,  and 
Souvenir  du  Congres  may  be  ready  also.  A  test,  other 
than  that  of  the  fruit  parting  from  the  tree  under  gentle 
332 


IN   INDIAN   SUMMERS 

pressure,  is  to  cut  open  a  fruit  and  see  if  the  pips  have 
turned  dark,  but  it  will  only  be  a  guide  to  fruits  in  the 
same  stage  of  development  as  the  one  operated  upon. 

Peaches  and  Nectarines. — In  houses  where  Peaches  are 
now  ripening  the  ventilation  should  be  free,  as  abund- 
ance of  air  will  be  a  great 
help.  The  tying  or  nail- 
ing in  of  the  young  wood 
of  trees  which  have  been 
cleared  of  their  fruit 
should  be  completed  as 
soon  as  possible. 

Pruning  Fruit  Trees. — 
The  annual  pruning  of 
fruit  trees  is  generally 
done  in  winter,  and  the 
-whole  subject  is  dealt 
with  fully  in  Chapter  I,, 
but  a  ripening  process 
of  great  importance  is 
now  going  on ;  the  shoots 
and  buds  are  maturing,  and  much  unseen  and  often  unsus- 
pected work  is  proceeding  that  has  a  considerable  bearing 
on  the  future  crop.  For  this  reason  it  is  often  wise  to  thin 
crowded  trees  in  September.  Large  branches  can  be 
removed  safely,  as  growth  for  the  year  is  practically 
over.  The  thinning  enables  sun  heat  to  operate  more 
effectually  on  the  wood  left.  Apples,  Pears,  Plums,  and 
Cherries  may  all  be  operated  upon. 


Sept. 
1-15 


Fig.  72.— Pruning  out  Large  Branches 
OF  Crowded  Fruit  Trees. 

a.  Cross  branches  which  must  be  cut  out. 

b.  Larger  branches  which  should  be  cut 
from  the  centre  of  the  tree. 


Vegetables 


Work   is   not   very    active    in    the    kitchen    garden 
during   the   early   part   of  September,  but  the  work  of 
333 


THE   GARDEN    WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Sept.  clearing  ground  of  mature  or  exhausted  crops  goes  on 
I-15      steadily. 

Celery. — The  main  crop  may  be  encouraged  by  giving 
water  and  liquid  manure,  and  also  by  tying.  There  is 
no  necessity  for  earthing  yet,  as  frost  is  unlikely,  and 
the  plants  will  grow  faster  without  soil  about  them  than 
with  it. 

Endive  and  Lettuce. — The  progress  of  plants  in  seed 
rows  can  be  expedited  by  thinning  and  hoeing.  The 
most  forward  plants  can  be  put  out  a  foot  apart. 

Onions. — Small  Onions,  grown  from  seed  sown  out 
of  dd^rs  in  spring,  will  ripen  quickly  if  they  are  drawn 
from  the  soil  and  left  lying  in  the  sun  for  a  few  days  ; 
but  much  larger  plants,  resulting  from  seed  sown  under 
glass  in  winter,  and  planted  in  very  deep,  rich  soil  in 
April,  will  need  more  attention.  They  cannot  be  left 
safely  unchecked  after  the  middle  of  the  month,  because 
if  the  weather  should  turn  wet  they  would  be  liable  to 
start  growing  afresh,  and  that  would  be  disastrous.  If 
they  have  got  a  very  firm  hold  of  the  soil  owing  to  the 
roots  having  struck  down  deeply,  they  can  be  checked  by 
bending  the  bulbs  sideways  day  after  day,  thus  breaking 
the  roots  by  degrees.  This,  combined  with  laying  over 
the  tops,  will  bring  growth  to  a  standstill.  If  the  bulbs 
are  very  large  they  will  require  a  good  deal  of  ripening, 
and  had  better  be  exposed  to  all  the  sunshine  that  there 
is  throughout  September,  but  put  under  cover  at  night, 
and  in  wet  weather. 

Potatoes. — What  is  called  supertuberation,  or  second 
growth,  in  Potatoes,  consists  in  the  production  of  small 
new  tubers  at  the  end  of  the  season,  when  the  plants 
have  apparently  finished  growing  and  matured  their  crop, 
or  in  fresh  outgrowths  on  the  large  tubers.  In  the  latter 
form  it  is  particularly  objectionable,  because  it  practically 
334 


IN   INDIAN   SUMMERS 

amounts  to  deformity,  and  greatly  impairs  the  value  of     Sept. 
the  crop.     Second  growth  is  very  common  in  a  wet      ^~^5 
September,  and  it  is  the  liability  of  it  which  makes  lifting 
as  soon  after  maturity  as  possible  advisable. 

Spinach  sown  a  few  weeks  ago  ought  now  to  be  up, 
and  ready  for  thinning.  The  plants  should  be  left  quite 
clear  of  each  other,  or  they  will  get  crowded  and  run 
to  seed. 

Tomatoes. — Accelerate  the  development  of  outdoor 
Tomatoes  by  reducing  the  foliage  on  the  lower  part  of 
the  plants  and  round  the  fruit.  Individual  fruits  that 
have  grown  to  a  satisfactory  size  may  be  removea  and 
ripened  off  the  plant,  either  on  a  window  ledge,  or  in 
a  box  in  a  cellar.  Plants  on  which  the  fruits  have 
swollen  evenly,  and  are  large  enough,  may  be  taken  up 
bodily,  and  hung  head  downwards  in  a  cool,  clean  out- 
house. The  fruit  will  colour  quite  well  there.  If  winter 
Tomatoes  are  wanted,  cuttings  may  be  struck  now.  A 
warm  house  will  be  needed  for  the  plants. 


SEPTEMBER— Third  and  Fourth  Weeks  Sept. 

T-  16-30 

Flowers 

Arum  Lilies. — Plants  in  the  garden  that  have  been 
checked  by  being  cut  round  with  a  spade  will  be  ready 
to  lift  now.  They  should  be  potted  as  fast  as  they  are 
taken  up,  as  if  left  lying  about  they  might  get  dry  and 
sustain  a  check  which  would  cost  them  all  their  foliage. 
In  any  case  they  are  apt  to  lose  a  leaf  or  two,  but  that  is 
of  no  great  consequence.  The  small  plants  may  go  into 
5-inch  pots,  the  larger  into  6-inch  or  7-inch.  Fibrous 
loam,  with  a  quarter  of  decayed  manure  or  leaf  mould, 
and  some  sand,  will  suit  them.  They  may  be  kept  rather 
335 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY    WEEK 

Sept.   dry  for  a  few  days  after  potting,  but  as  soon  as  they 
16-30  start  growing  again  watering  must  be  resumed.     They 

will  be  quite  comfort- 
able on  a  greenhouse 
stage.  When  buying 
Arum  Lilies,  remember 
the  great  merits  of  the 
variety  called  the  God- 
frey ;  it  is  remarkably 
free  alike  in  growth  and 
bloom. 

Winter  Flowering  Be- 
gonias.— It    is    time    to 
give    attention     to    the 
beautiful  fibrous-rooted 
Begonias  which  are  so 
useful  for  winter  flower- 
ing, notably    Gloire   de 
Lorraine  and  Turnford 
Hall,    which    are    pink    and    white    respectively.       In 
earlier  chapters  it  was  suggested  that  they   should   be 
rested  after   flowering,   and    that   when    shoots    broke 
from  the  pruned  stumps   they  should  be  taken  off  as 
cuttings  and  struck.    The  young  plants  which  resulted 
ought  to  be  nice  specimens   now,   suitable   either  for 
culture  in  pots  or  for  hanging  baskets.     If  they  are  in 
quite  small  pots  they  may  be  transferred  to  5-inch  or 
6-inch,  which  will  be  large  enough  for  flowering  them 
in.    They  should  go  into  a  light  house  with  a  minimum 
temperature  of  55°  to  60°.     This  will  be  warm  enough 
to  bloom  them  in,  and  to  keep  them  in  beauty  for  many 
months. 

Bush  Chrysanthemums. — Many  amateurs  find  that  the 
culture  of  Chrysanthemums  on  the  three-stem  principle 
336 


Fig.  73.— Lifting  Arum  Lilies, 

a.  The  line  around  the   plant   where  the 

tool  should  be  inserted  to  raise  the 
plant. 

b.  The  plant  duly  potted. 


IN   INDIAN   SUMMERS 

for  yielding  limited  numbers  of  very  fine  flowers,  although  Sept. 
full  of  interest,  has  its  drawbacks.  It  does  not  yield  16-30 
plants  suitable  for  low  groups,  or  for  rooms,  or  for 
producing  large  quantities  of  cut  bloom.  Bush  plants, 
grown  from  cuttings  in  spring  and  pinched  two  or  three 
times,  will  serve  these  purposes  admirably.  They  will 
soon  produce  buds,  which 
are  likely  to  produce  ter- 
minals (see  previous  remarks) 
in  clusters,  and  these  can  be 
thinned  or  not  at  discretion. 
If  disbudding  is  practised,  it 
should  only  be  done  moder- 
ately, as  clusters  of  small 
flowers  not  only  look  nice 
on  the  plants,  but  are  very 
useful  for  cutting.  The 
plants  may  be  fed  with 
liquid  manure  twice  a  week. 
Liquid  from  natural  manure 
ought  not  to  be  used  much 
darker  than  the  colour  of  amber. 

Early  Hyacinths. — Reference  has  been  made  to  the 
potting  of  white  Roman  Hyacinths  for  early  bloom 
already,  but  some  amateurs  like  to  have  early  flowers 
of  the  large  Dutch  Hyacinths,  and  they  may  be  interested 
to  hear  that  there  are  several  good  sorts  which  are 
suitable  for  early  blooming.  Amongst  them  may  be 
noted  the  single  blues  Charles  Dickens  and  Regulus  (the 
former  is  the  better  of  the  two),  the  double  white  La 
Tour  d'Auvergne,  and  the  single  reds.  Amy  and  General 
Pelissier.  Bulbs  of  these  varieties  are  generally  pro- 
curable before  the  end  of  September.  They  may  be 
potted  singly  in  5-inch  pots,  in  loam,  leaf  mould,  and 
337  Y 


Fig,  74.— Disbudding  Bush 
Chrysanthemums. 
This  shows  severe  disbudding,  only 
central  buds  being  retained.    The 
disbudding    may    be    lighter    if 
desired. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY  WEEK 

Sept.  sand,  with  the  tips  protruding  about  half  an  inch,  and 
10-30  plunged  in  cocoa-nut  fibre  refuse  for  about  six  weeks, 
then  put  in  a  warm  house. 

Christmas  and  Lenten  Roses. — We  glanced  at  a  few 
fine  varieties  of  these  beautiful  plants  in  an  early  chapter, 
and  saw  that  they  were  well  worthy  of  the  attention  of 
all  flower  lovers.  The  Christmas  Roses  (Helleborus 
Niger  and  other  species  and  varieties  of  Helleborus) 
are  particularly  valuable,  because  they  produce  large 
flowers  —  in  most  cases  pure  white  —  in  autumn  and 
winter.  The  Kew  plan  of  colonising  them  among 
hardy  Ferns  out  of  doors  was  mentioned.  The  Fern 
fronds  act  as  a  shelter,  and  as  they  decay  form  a 
carpet,  so  that  there  is  no  fear  of  soil  being  splashed 
up  to  stain  the  purity  of  the  lovely  blossoms  of  the 
Christmas  Roses.  Readers  who  are  lovers  of  hardy 
Ferns  might  consider  this  plan  of  associating  two 
distinct,  yet  in  their  way  equally  attractive,  classes  of 
plant.  The  combination  might  be  formed  in  any  shaded 
and  sheltered  spot.  The  colony  would  prove  attractive 
both  in  summer  and  winter.  September  is  the  best 
month  of  the  year  for  planting  Christmas  Roses.  They 
delight  in  a  deep,  cool  soil.  If  they  are  put  in  a  yard 
apart  there  will  be  plenty  of  room  for  planting  the  Ferns 
between  them  in  the  following  spring.  For  the  present, 
some  clean  litter  may  be  scattered  round  the  plants 
when  they  come  into  bloom,  to  act  as  a  protection  and  a 
preservative  of  their  purity. 

Poinsettias. — These  brilliant  plants,  struck  from  por- 
tions of  old  stem  as  advised  a  few  weeks  ago,  and  grown 
in  frames,  ought  now  to  be  placed  in  a  greenhouse. 

Berry-Bearing  Solanums^  planted  out  of  doors  in  the 
same  way  as  Arum  Lilies,  may  now  be  similarly  lifted 
and  potted. 

338 


IN   INDIAN   SUMMERS 

Violets. — The  time  is  near  when  Violets  that  are  in-  Sept. 
tended  for  flowering  in  frames  in  winter  must  be  lifted.  10-30 
As  a  preparatory  measure,  they  may  be  checked  by 
driving  a  spade  round  them  a  few  inches  away  from 
the  central  crown.  If  Violets  are  being  grown  in  pots, 
any  runners  which  form  should  be  cut  off,  or  they  will 
rob  the  old  plants. 


Fruit 

Gathering-. — The  gathering  and  storing  of  fruit  will 
continue  to  engage  attention.  Several  of  our  best 
Pears,  notably  Beurre  Diel,  Souvenir  du  Congres,  Con- 
ference, Fertility,  Marie  Louise,  Doynne  Boussoch,  Pit- 
maston  Duchess,  and  Emile  d'Heyst  may  be  expected 
to  be  ready  for  gathering  by  the  end  of  September.  The 
individual  fruits  on  the  trees  may  vary,  and  none  should 
be  forced  off. 

Muscat  Grapes. — Muscat  of  Alexandria,  that  long- 
berried,  long-bunched,  golden-yellow  Grape,  is  one  of 
the  finest  flavoured  varieties  which  we  have,  and  growers 
who  succeed  in  ripening  a  good  crop  of  it  may  be  con- 
gratulated. The  house  should  be  kept  dry,  and  a  little 
heat  maintained  in  the  pipes  in  dull,  damp  weather. 

Melons. — Early  crops  of  Melons  will  have  been 
finished,  and  if  later  ones  are  being  grown  the  blooms 
will  probably  be  open.  They  should  be  pollinated  in 
accordance  with  previous  instructions. 

Raspberries. — If  the  old  canes  from  which  fruit  has 
been  picked  have  not  yet  been  removed,  they  should  be 
cut  out  without  delay,  and  the  young  shoots  thinned 
to  half-a-dozen  of  the  best  from  each  root. 

Strawberries.  —  Plants  in  small  pots,  raised  from 
layers  in  early  summer,  should  be  transferred  to  6-inch 
33Q 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Sept.     pots  if  wanted  for  forcing,  and  the  new  soil  pressed 
16-30     firmly  round  them. 


Vegetables 

Brussels  Sprouts. — In  speaking  of  the  planting  of 
Brussels  Sprouts  in  an  earlier  chapter,  it  was  recom- 
mended to  plant  them  wide  apart,  in  order  that  they 
might  not  grow  into  each  other.  There  is  another 
direction,  however,  in  which  they  may  become  crowded, 
and  that  is  in  the  stem  leaves.  The  grower  will  notice 
that  it  is  the  habit  of  the  Brussels  Sprout  to  form  a 
tuft  of  leaves  at  the  top  of  the  stem,  and  to  throw  out 
others  from  the  sides.  The  former  should  be  retained, 
but  the  latter  interfere  with  the  development  of  small, 
hard  sprouts  on  the  stem,  in  addition  to  harbouring 
insects,  and  ought  to  be  removed.  They  may  be  broken 
short  off  one  by  one  at  intervals  of  a  few  days  until  none 
are  left.  Firm  sprouts  will  then  form  on  the  stem, 
and  steadily  develop  until  they  are  nearly  as  large  as 
golf  balls  (the  varieties  differ  somewhat  in  size  of  sprouts) 
when  they  are  ready  for  use.  The  Brussels  Sprout  is 
one  of  the  most  useful  green  vegetables  of  autumn.  It 
gives  a  great  deal  of  produce,  and  the  flavour  is  excellent 
so  long  as  the  sprouts  are  firm  ;  when  they  are  loose  and 
open  the  flavour  is  poor. 

Cabbages  for  Spring.  —  Spring  Cabbages  from  seed 
sown  at  the  end  of  July  may  be  ready  for  planting  out 
now.  If  they  are  three  inches  high  they  are  large 
enough.  They  may  be  planted  in  rows  eighteen  inches 
apart,  and  made  quite  firm,  as  this  has  a  considerable 
influence  on  early  hearting.  On  that  account  it  is  an 
excellent  plan  to  put  them  out  in  ground  from  which 
Onions  have  been  removed,  as  it  is  both  fertile  and  firm. 
340 


IN   INDIAN   SUMMERS 

Cauliflowers  that  were  sown  in  August  may  be  pricked     Sept. 
out  nine  inches  apart  for  the  winter.     If  they  are  dwarf,     16-30 
sturdy  plants,  and  are  put  into  firm  soil,  they  may  pass 
the   winter    safely,  and   give  a  useful  early  crop  next 
year. 

Carrots. — The  crop  is  nearly  or  quite  mature,  but 
there  need  be  no  hurry  about  lifting  so  long  as  the  roots 
are  not  splitting  at  the  top  ;  if  they  are,  they  had  better 
be  taken  up  at  once. 

Celery. — If  the  district  is  mild  there  is  very  little  fear 
of  sharp  frost  yet,  and  consequently  any  Celery  that  is 
at  all  backward  may  be  left  unearthed  at  present.  It  will 
probably  make  a  good  deal  of  growth  in  October.  Any 
plants  that  are  full  grown  may  be  earthed.  A  great  deal 
of  soil  will  be  required  to  thoroughly  earth  a  row  of 
large  Celery.  It  should  be  raised  quite  to  the  tuft  of 
leaves  at  the  top  of  the  plant  at  the  second  earthing,  the 
first  one  merely  fiUing  up  the  trench.  The  soil  ought 
to  be  in  a  moist,  crumbly  state  when  applied.  If  the 
Celery  has  been  tied,  there  is  little  fear  of  earth  getting 
inside,  otherwise  the  stems  must  be  held  together  in  the 
early  stage  of  the  earthing. 

Late  Winter  Cucumbers. — If  Cucumbers  are  being 
grown  for  an  autumn  supply,  they  must  be  planted  out 
soon  on  mounds  of  warm,  rich  soil.  The  hints  given 
for  the  treatment  of  the  early  crop  will  apply. 

Endive  and  Lettuces.  —  Plants  for  spring,  raised  by 
sowing  seed  in  August,  ought  to  be  ready  for  planting 
out  now,  and  should  be  put  a  foot  apart. 

Onions. — Continue  the  ripening  off  of  mature  bulbs 
in  accordance  with  previous  hints.  Plants  raised  from 
seed  sown  in  August  may  be  thinned,  so  that  they  stand 
quite  clear  of  each  other. 

Turnips. — August  sowings  may  be  thinned,  and    a 
34^ 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Sept.     sowing  of  the  excellent  hardy  variety  Chirk  Castle  made 
16-30     for  winter. 


Sept.  The  Garden  in  September — A  Resume 

R6sum6  With  regular  attention  to  mowing,  hoeing,  and  the 
removal  of  decaying  flowers,  the  garden  ought  to  be 
bright,  pleasant,  and  interesting  in  September.  Sweet 
Peas  should  still  be  beautiful  if  seed  formation  has 
been  prevented. 

Arum  Lilies  that  were  planted  out  in  late  spring  may 
be  checked  in  the  early  part  of  the  month,  and  potted 
up  in  the  latter  part.  Solanums  may  be  potted  up 
also. 

Dahlias  should  have  attention,  and  any  defective 
staking  rectified.  Chrysanthemums  may  form  clusters 
of  terminal  buds,  which  may  be  thinned  if  desired. 
Liquid  manure  will  help  the  plants.  Dracaenas  may 
be  repotted  and  propagated. 

Rose  cuttings  may  be  inserted,  and  attention  given  to 
the  training  of  chmbers.  Carnations  from  layers  may 
be  planted  out,  or  potted  and  put  in  frames.  Pinks 
may  be  divided.  A  few  selected  early  varieties  of 
Hyacinths  may  be  potted,  and  likewise  Due  van  Thol 
Tulips.  Poinsettias  and  fibrous-rooted  Begonias  in- 
tended for  winter  blooming  should  be  placed  in  a  warm 
house.  Violets  that  are  to  be  lifted  for  wintering  in 
frames  may  be  checked  by  chopping  round  them  with  a 
spade. 

In  the  fruit  garden,  gathering  should  continue ; 
several  good  Apples  and  Pears  are  likely  to  be  ready. 
The  present  is  a  good  time  to  thin  the  branches  of  any 
trees  that  are  very  thick. 

In  vineries  where  the  Grapes  are  ripening,  watering 
342 


IN   INDIAN   SUMMERS 

should  continue,  and  the  pipes  should  be  warmed  up     Sept. 
in  cold  weather.     Houses  in  which  the  Grapes  are  ripe       — 
should  be  kept  cool,  dry,  and  the  foliage  thin.  R6sum6 

The  young  wood  of  Fig  trees  on  outside  walls  should 
be  nailed  in.  Give  plenty  of  air  to  houses  in  which 
Peaches  are  ripening.  All  the  young  wood  should  be 
fastened  in  if  not  done  already. 

Late  Melons  which  are  in  bloom  may  have  the  fruit 
impregnated.  Strawberries  may  be  repotted,  and  have 
any  runners  which  form  removed.  Old  Raspberry  canes 
may  be  cut  out. 

With  regard  to  vegetables,  the  foliage  on  ripening 
Tomatoes  may  be  thinned,  and  forward  fruit  picked  off. 
If  plants  are  wanted  for  winter  fruiting,  cuttings  should 
be  struck  now.  Celery  may  be  earthed.  Onions  should 
be  ripened,  and  late-sown  crops  thinned.  Potatoes 
should  be  lifted  when  the  foliage  matures,  or  second 
growth  may  follow.  Summer  sown  Turnips  may  be 
thinned,  and  Chirk  Castle  sown  for  winter.  Spinach 
from  August  sowings  may  be  thinned,  and  Endive  and 
Lettuce  planted  out  to  stand  the  winter. 

Cucumber  plants  for  late  crops  may  be  planted  now. 
Cabbages  for  spring  should  be  planted  on  firm  soil. 
The  lower  leaves  may  be  removed  from  the  stems  of 
Brussels  Sprouts  by  degrees,  as  it  will  help  the  Sprouts 
to  form.  Cauliflowers  sown  in  August  may  be  pricked 
out.     Carrots  may  be  lifted  if  the  roots  are  splitting. 


343 


CHAPTER   X 

A   NEW   OUTLOOK 

Oct.  I  WANT  a  word — a  friendly,  confidential  word — with 
garden-loving  folk  who  are  sensitive  to  external  sur- 
roundings, and  influenced  by  every  passing  variation 
in  the  weather.  There  is  no  play  on  the  face  of  Nature, 
however  slight,  which  they  do  not  observe.  If  their 
august  mistress  smiles  they  are  elated,  if  she  frowns  they 
are  sad.  Human  beings  who  are  constituted  like  this 
are  affected  by  a  hundred  things  which  the  mass  never 
so  much  as  sees.  They  comprise  some  of  the  finest 
spirits  of  the  nation.  Kind,  tender-hearted,  with  souls 
tuned  to  an  abhorrence  of  what  is  cruel  and  wrong, 
they  feel  the  rough,  jagged  edges  of  the  world  acutely. 

People  of  this  class  sometimes  tell  me  that  the 
autumn  oppresses  them.  They  cannot  enjoy  their 
gardens  when  vegetation  is  decaying.  They  cannot 
find  pleasure  in  country  walks  when  the  leaves  are 
coming  down  and  the  fields  are  swathed  in  mist.  They 
complain  of  lowered  health,  too  :  an  intermittent  heart- 
beat, the  dull  gnawing  of  neuritis.  They  actually  speak, 
at  the  absurdly  youthful  age  of  sixty-five,  of  growing 
old! 

Perhaps  there  are  some  among  my  readers  who  are 
constituted  similarly  to  these  poor  sensitive  souls. 
Will  they  forgive  me  if  I  say  that  I  fully  sympathise 
with  and  comprehend  them  ?  And  will  they  let  me 
assure  them  that  if  they  try  and  understand  the  garden 
344 


A   NEW   OUTLOOK 

as  I  try  to  understand  them,  it  will  do  wonders  for  them  ?  Oct. 
Of  course  the  intermittent  heart-beat  at  sixty-five  is  a 
factor  that  has  to  be  considered,  but  I  protest  against 
the  morbidity  that  prompts  a  man  to  lie  awake  o'  nights 
ringing  the  changes  on  i,  2,  3,  o,  o,  4,  5,  and  i,  o,  o, 
2,  o,  3,  4,  5,  when  he  has  such  a  delicious  problem  to 
solve  as  the  selection  of  his  Tulips  for  next  spring's 
flowering.  To  think,  too,  of  a  person  worrying  over 
neuritis  when  he  can  buy  a  beautiful,  illustrated  book 
of  shrubs  for  a  shilling,  and  plan  new  beds  for  autumn 
making !  Personally,  when  I  have  neurotic  pangs  I 
employ  a  muscular  masseur  to  knead  me,  and  while  he 
is  thus  engaged  (getting  very  hot,  I  observe,  in  his  con- 
suming earnestness),  I  placidly  peruse  the  descriptions 
in  the  new  Rose  catalogues,  and  I  think  what  admirable 
writers  there  are  among  those  who  draw  up  nursery- 
men's catalogues.  How  they  would  excel  as  novelists, 
with  their  wonderful  powers  of  description,  gifts  of  ima- 
gination, and  knowledge  of  humanity  ! 

What  I  particularly  want  to  say  to  the  sensitive  soul 
is  this  :  Where  lies  the  justification  for  depression  when 
you  know  quite  well  that  Nature  works  in  a  never-ceasing 
round  ?  Who  can  feel  grieved  at  the  fall  of  the  leaf 
when  he  learns  that  clever  device  which  the  twig  has  of 
ripening  and  hardening  under  the  stalk,  and  sees  that 
the  same  mellowing  process  which  squeezes  the  leaf  off 
swells  up  the  apparently  lifeless  buds  that  are  to  give 
foliage  and  blossom  next  year  ?  As  well  mourn  over 
the  moulting  of  a  fowl.  While  the  stems  of  your  her- 
baceous plants,  and  of  your  Raspberries,  are  dying,  the 
crowns  on  the  rootstocks  below  are  thickening.  As 
the  Gladiolus  foliage  withers  above  ground  a  new  corm 
superimposes  itself  on  the  old  one  below.  You  take 
Apples  and  Pears  from  the  trees,  but  you  leave  on  them, 
345 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Oct.  as  a  result  of  your  skilled  pruning,  wonderful  store- 
houses in  the  form  of  buds  that  are  packed  with  leaves, 
stems,  blossoms,  and  fruit,  all  to  come  forth  in  their 
season. 

There  is  no  such  thing  as  a  dreary  countryside  or  a 
depressing  garden.  These  evil  visions  are  the  offspring 
of  ill-balanced,  untrained  minds.  One  of  the  most  lovely 
and  satisfying  things  in  nature  is  an  expanse  of  down- 
land  on  the  heart  of  a  winter  night,  seen  in  shadow- 
glimpses  as  the  clouds  race  each  other  past  the 
moon.  And  the  happiest  moments  of  happy  lives 
are  those  spent  in  clearing  vegetable  debris  from  fading 
beds,  and  turning  the  rich  brown  earth  in  readiness 
for  the  bulbs  and  plants  which  are  to  welcome  the 
spring. 

October  and  November  are  splendid  garden  charac- 
ters. They  want  understanding,  but  they  are  worth 
studying.  Do  we  feel  the  most  interested  in  those  of 
our  acquaintances  who  are  the  most  elementary  and 
obvious  ?  I  think  not.  If  their  beauty  is  only  "  skin- 
deep,"  they  tend  to  bore  us  after  a  time.  There  are  no 
depths  to  be  probed,  no  elusive  clues  to  be  followed  up, 
no  difficulties  of  comprehension  to  stimulate  us.  In 
autumn  we  have  it  given  to  us  to  touch  the  bedrock 
of  gardening  success.  We  can  take  such  portion  of 
mother  Earth  as  is  under  our  influence,  and  by  the 
exercise  of  our  own  personal  handiwork  double  its  pro- 
ductiveness. Is  not  that  a  great  thought  ?  Does  it  not 
fill  us  with  inward  stirrings,  with  ardent  resolves  ?  Does 
not  the  very  reflection  give  us  grit  and  backbone  ?  And 
do  we  not  feel  that  we  see  all  life  in  a  new  light  ? 
The  simple  philosophy  of  the  garden  widens  all  our 
outlook,  gives  us  new  hopes,  new  interests,  and  new 
knowledge. 

346 


A   NEW    OUTLOOK 

OCTOBER— First  and  Second  Weeks 

Flowers 

Let  us  clear  up  a  few  odd  tasks  connected  with  the 
flower  garden,  and  so  make  room  for  the  great  study  of 
the  bulbs. 

Tuberous  Begonias. — Early  October  often  sees  the 
lovely  tuberous  Begonias  at  their  best.  They  love  the 
long,  cool  nights,  and, 
refreshed  by  the  heavy 
dews,  turn  brilliant  lamps 
of  blossom  to  the  midday 
sun.  But  in  light,  dry 
soils  they  do  not  last  so 
long ;  the  foliage  shrinks, 
the  stems  slacken,  and  the 
whole  bed  shows  a  de- 
cline. The  first  frost 
finishes  off  the  work  of 
natural  decay,  and  the 
erstwhile  beautiful  plants 
turn  black.  Now  is  the 
time  to  bring  forth  the 
fork,  and  carefully  lift  the 
tubers.  It  is  not  neces- 
sary to  scrape  every 
particle  of  soil  from  them  at  the  moment  of  lifting. 
Spread  them  to  dry,  covering  them  with  an  old  sack  at 
night,  and  in  a  few  days  they  can  be  cleansed  and  stored 
in  some  dry,  frost-proof  place  for  the  winter. 

Propagating  Bedding  Calceolarias, — Young  shoots  of 
the  yellow-flowered  shrubby  Calceolaria  may  be  taken 
now,  and  inserted  firmly  in  sandy  soil  in  boxes,  which 
347 


Oct. 
I-I5 


Fig.  75.- 


-LiFTiNG  Tuberous 
Begonias. 


a.  Tuber  with  fading  leaves  and  stalks. 

b.  Soil  and  roots  adhering  to  the  tuber. 

c.  Tuber  prepared  for  storing  in  a  box. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 


Oct.      may  be  placed  in  a  frame.      The  cuttings  should  be 
I~I5     made  quite  firm. 

Housing  Chrysanthemums. — Chrysanthemums  love  the 
cool,  dewy  nights  of  October,  and  seem  so  fresh  and 
happy  in  the  open  air  that  there  is  a  real  reluctance  to 
disturbing  them.  But  a  sharp  frost  may  come  at  any 
time  now,  and  if  it  caught  the  grower  of  prize-bloom 
plants  unawares,  it  might  spoil  all  his  season's  work  in 
a  night.  To  be  on  the  safe 
side  the  plants  must  be 
housed,  and  as  the  work 
involves  some  amount  of 
preparation,  a  beginning 
should  be  made  as  early  as 
possible  in  October.  Are; 
the  plants  to  be  arranged 
in  a  group  in  the  conserva- 
tory or  vinery  ?  Then  get 
any  stages  which  may  exist 
there  taken  down  and  packed 
away.  Clear  up  all  rubbish. 
If  there  is  any  damp,  or  if 
there  has  been  any  trouble 
from  insects,  give  the  walls 
a  coating  of  whitewash  and 
the  woodwork  a  scrubbing. 
Place  a  few  clean,  empty  boxes  and  large  flower  pots 
handy,  because  it  may  be  necessary  to  mount  some  of 
the  plants  to  display  them  to  the  best  advantage.  Take 
care  that  the  growths  of  the  plants  are  not  blown  about 
and  injured  while  being  detached  from  their  supports 
in  the  garden  and  transported  to  the  house.  Cleanse 
the  pots.  It  is  probable  that  the  plants  vary  a  great 
deal  in  height,  in  which  case  they  may  be  arranged  in 
348 


Fig,  76.— Grouping  Chrys- 
anthemums. 

Pathway  in  a  lean-to  greenhouse. 

Dwarf  plants  near  the  pathway. 

The  back  of  the  group.  (The 
arrangement  should  result  in 
a  nice  undulating  surface.) 


A   NEW   OUTLOOK 


a  slope  from  back  to  front.  A  fringe  of  some  dwarf 
plant  along  the  front  will,  by  hiding  the  pots  and  boxes, 
impart  a  neat  finish  to  the  group.  Exercise  great  care 
in  watering  for  a  few  days  after  housing.  The  plants 
may  be  a  little  limp  for  a  few  days,  and  much  water  will 
be  bad.  The  plants  should  be  kept  under  close  obser- 
vation for  a  few  days.  Watering  may  be  resumed  when 
they  are  seen  to  be  freshening  up  again.  Give  plenty  of 
air  in  fine  weather.  If  mildew  should  appear,  dust  with 
flowers  of  sulphur.  When  the  plants  settle  down  to 
their  new  surroundings  the  buds  will  swell  rapidly,  and 
liquid  manure  may  be  given  twice  a  week. 

Cinerarias  and  Her- 
baceous Calceolarias. — If 
the  advice  to  keep  these 
plants  in  cold  frames 
through  the  summer  has 
been  followed,  they 
ought  to  be  strong  and 
sturdy  now.  They  may 
be  kept  in  the  frames 
for  a  week  or  two  longer 
if  thick  mats  are  placed 
over  the  lights  at  night 
in  cold  weather,  but  the 
sooner  they  are  put  into 
a  heated  house  the 
better. 

Lifting  Dahlias  and 
Cannas. — We  expect  to 
have  Dahlias  in  beauty 
for  the  early  part  of 
October  at  all  events,  and  we  hope  that  absence  of  frost 
will  permit  them  to  go  on  flowering  for  the  whole  of  the 
349 


Oct. 
1-15 


Fig.  77.— Lifting  Dahlias. 

a.  A  cluster  of  tubers  lifted  and  the 

stems  cut  off  i  ft.  above  them. 

b.  How  to  stc re  the  tubers. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 


Oct.  month,  even  into  November.  But  if  a  cold  spell  should 
^"^5  lay  them  low  in  October,  we  bow  to  the  inevitable  with 
a  good  grace.  It  is  usual  to  lift  the  roots  and  store  them 
in  a  dry  place  for  the  winter,  but  many  amateurs,  pre- 
sumably because  they  are  short  of  both  time  and  room, 
leave  them  in  the  ground.  Sometimes  the  roots  rot  in 
the  soil,  often  they  grow  again  in  spring.  Much  turns 
on  the  character  of  the  soil  and  the  nature  of  the  winter. 
In  a  heavy,  damp  soil  and  a  cold  locality,  more  losses 

might  be  expected 
than  in  a  light,  drained 
soil  in  a  mild  district. 
If  it  is  decided  to  lift 
the  rootstocks,  they 
should  be  taken  up  a 
few  days  after  cutting 
off  the  tips,  and  stored 
in  a  dry,  frost-proof 
place.  Cannas  ought 
to  be  lifted  and  stored 
in  all  cases. 

Gladioli  in  A  utuinn. — 

The  splendid  Gladiolus 

wanes  towards  the  end 

of  September,  and  the 

foliage  begins  to  ripen 

off   even   if   there   is   no   frost.     When  the  leaves  turn 

yellow  the  plants  ought  to  be  taken  up,  and  the  stems 

removed  from  the  corms.     It  may  be  found  that  new 

corms  have  formed  on  the  large  ones,  and  in  this  case 

the  older  part  can  be  broken  off  and  thrown  away ;  the 

two  portions  part  from  each  other  quite  readily.     The 

new  corms  can  be  stored  in  a  dry  place  free  from  frost 

for  the  winter,  and  replanted  the  following  year,  when 


Fig.  78.— Lifting  Gladioli. 

a.  Removing  soil  from  corms. 

b.  Corm  prepared  for  storing. 

c.  Flower  stem  cut  off  well  above  corm. 


A   NEW   OUTLOOK 

they  will  probably  bloom.     There  may  be  small  separate     Oct. 
corms  around  the  larger  one.     These  should  also  be      I"i5 
stored,  as  some  of  them  will  bloom  the  following  year, 
and  the  remainder  a  year  later. 

Zonal  Geraniums  for  Bedding. — If  cuttings  of  Zonal 
Geraniums  were  inserted  in  August,  there  will  now  be  a 
stock  of  young  plants,  because  the  cuttings  will  have 
rooted  and  made  top  growth.  The  care  of  these  plants 
through  the  winter  is  one  of  the  difficulties  of  the 
bedding  system.  The  plants  are  tender,  and  would  be 
killed  if  caught  by  frost.  On  the  other  hand,  if  they  are 
encouraged  to  grow  in  a  warm  house  they  soon  become 
so  large  that  they  outgrow  the  accommodation.  The 
only  thing  that  the  grower  can  do  is  to  keep  them  as 
cool  as  is  consistent  with  safety,  and  give  no  more  water 
than  is  necessary  to  prevent  them  from  flagging.  If  they 
were  struck  in  the  open  ground  they  should  be  lifted  and 
put  close  together  in  boxes  or  pots.  A  cold  frame  will 
not  do  for  them.  Old  Geraniums  with  woody  stems 
will  endure  several  degrees  of  frost,  but  young  plants 
with  soft  green  shoots  are  easily  injured. 

Lilies  for  Pots. — Several  of  the  Liliums  are  deservedly 
popular  plants  for  pot  cultivation,  as  they  make  a 
charming  display  in  conservatories.  Candidum  is  some- 
times grown,  though  the  old  "  Madonna  Lily  "  is  perhaps 
more  generally  planted  in  the  garden.  Kraetzeri  is  a 
lovely  white  pot  Lily,  as  it  is  of  dwarf,  branching  growth 
and  flowers  freely.  It  is  a  variety  of  Speciosum,  which 
has  spotted  flowers,  and  is  also  well  worth  growing. 
Auratum  and  its  fine  varieties,  Wittei  and  Rubro-Vitta- 
tum,  are  frequently  grown  in  pots.  Longiflorum  and  its 
variety,  Harrisi  (Bermuda  Lily)  are  popular — the  latter 
in  particular.  British-grown  bulbs  of  most  of  these 
Lilies  can  be  bought  in  October,  but  the  buyer  must 
35 1 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 


Oct. 
1-15 


expect  to  have  to  pay  a  higher  price  than  for  the 
imported  bulbs  which  are  on  sale  at  mid-winter.  They 
may  be  potted  and  plunged  like  Hyacinths. 

Pansies  and  Violas  from  Cuttings. — There  is  perhaps 
no  better  month  in  the  year  for  propagating  Pansies  and 

Violas  by  means 
of  cuttings  than 
October.  As  a  rule, 
plenty  of  side  shoots, 
with  a  few  roots 
attached,  can  be 
found  on  the  plants 
at  this  time  of  year, 
and  if  they  are  taken 
off  and  inserted 
firmly  in  sandy  soil 
in  a  box  they  will 
eventually  make  nice 
plants.  They  may 
or  may  not  form  fresh 
roots  before  winter, 
but  whether  they  do 
or  not  (and  it  is  just 
as  well  if  they  do 
not),  they  will  grow 
early  in  spring,  and 
form  good  material  for  planting  out  in  April.  The  boxes 
may  be  placed  in  a  frame,  as  no  ordinary  winter  is 
likely  to  see  injury  done  to  the  cuttings  by  frost.  In 
exceptionally  severe  weather  a  mat  may  be  placed  over 
the  glass. 

Propagating  Pentstemons  and  Snapdragons. — Both  of 
these  splendid  hardy  plants  are  thoroughly  worthy  of 
wide  cultivation,  and   although  they  are  readily  raised 
^S2 


Fig.  79.— Striking  Pansy  Cuttings. 

a.  A  suitable  cutting  from  the  base. 

b.  How  to  insert  the  cuttings. 

c.  Line  f-r  the  next  row. 

d.  Sand  at  base  of  the  cutting. 


A   NEW   OUTLOOK 

from  seed,  and  flower  the  same  year  if  sown  early,  the 
fact  that  it  is  often  desired  to  keep  a  particular  variety 
true  to  colour  and 
habit  turns  atten- 
tion to  propaga- 
tion by  means  of 
cuttings.  Both 
Pentstemons  and 
Antirrhinums  strike 
from  cuttings,  and 
plants  so  raised  are 
identical  with  their 
parents.  The  cut- 
tings should  be  of 
young  growths  free 
from  flower  buds, 
but  this  is  more 
important  in  the 
case  of  Pentste- 
mons than  Snapdragons  ;  the  latter  will  not  refuse  to 
grow  merely  because  they  have  buds.  The  cuttings 
should  be  inserted  firmly  in  sandy  soil  in  boxes,  and 
put  in  a  cold  frame  now ;  they  will  make  nice  plants  for 
spring  planting. 

A  Frame  of  Violets. — It  is  delightful  to  be  able  to  pick 
Violets,  large  and  sweet,  throughout  the  winter.  Can 
this  be  done  with  regularity?  In  the  main,  yes.  It  is 
true  that  in  a  severe  winter  there  may  be  spells  when 
there  will  be  very  few  flowers,  but  it  is  not  likely  that 
there  will  be  many  days  on  which  none  can  be  found. 
In  almost  every  large  garden  there  is  a  range  of  frames, 
sometimes  extending  to  half-a-dozen,  devoted  to  winter 
Violets,  but  in  smaller  places  it  is  possible  that  only  one 
frame  can  be  spared.  Well,  such  provision  is  not  to  be 
353  z 


Oct. 

I-I5 


Fig.  8o.— Striking  Pentstemon  Cuttings. 

a.  Basal  leaves  to  be  removed. 

b.  Cuttings  inserted  in  a  small  frame. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Oct.  despised.  Let  us  make  the  most  of  it,  and  hope  for  a 
I-15  fair  reward  in  the  way  of  winter  perfume.  If  we  have 
strong  plants  of  our  own  growing — possibly  struck  from 
divisions  or  runners  late  in  spring — well  and  good ;  if 
not,  we  can  buy  them  from  a  florist,  but  in  the  latter 
case  we  must  stipulate  for  strong  forcing  plants.     We 

want  a  steady  heat  be- 
neath  our   plants,   and 
this    we    can   get  from 
a     mixture     of     stable 
manure      and      leaves. 
They  should  be  trodden 
into  a  firm  mass  about 
thirty  inches  deep  after 
the   manure    has    been 
turned  a  few  times,  and 
surfaced  with  a  foot  of 
loamy  soil.    The  Violets 
can    be    planted   about 
nine       inches       apart. 
With    watering    as    re- 
quired, and  ventilation 
in  favourable    weather, 
the  plants  will  make  and  maintain  healthy  growth,  and 
will  throw  up  a  steady  succession  of  flowers.     They  are 
sometimes  attacked  by  insects,  notably  red  spider,  but 
not,  as  a  rule,  when  enough  water  and  air  are  given. 
Among  double  varieties,  Mrs.  W.  W.  Astor  and  Marie 
Louise  are  great  favourites.      Princess   of   Wales   is  a 
charming  single. 


Fig.  81,— Planting  Violets  in  a 
Frame. 

a.  A  strong  plant. 

h.  The  plants  put  in  so  that  the  leaves  will 
almost  touch  the  glass. 


Fruit 

Grapes. — Vines  in  early  houses — that  is,  those  which 
are  started  in  winter  to  fruit  in  early  summer — will  now 

354 


A    NEW   OUTLOOK 

be  quite  mature,  and  the  laterals  may  be  pruned  to  the     Oct. 
plump  bud  at  the  base.     The  rods  may  be  washed  in      ^~^5 
water  in  which  a  little  soft  soap  has  been  dissolved,  and 
the  walls  whitewashed.     Late  Vines  will  not  have  quite 
ripened  up  their  laterals  yet ;  the  latter  may  be  reduced 
to  half  their  length,  and  fully  pruned  later  on. 

Root- Pruning  Fruit  Trees.  —  When  the  leaves  are 
turning  yellow  on  fruit  trees,  any  which  have  made  a 
great  deal  of  wood,  and  have  not  blossomed,  may  be 
root-pruned.  Summer  growth  that  exceeds  thirty  inches 
in  length  may  be  regarded  as  dangerously  strong, 
and  to  curtail  the  roots  of  the  trees  which  produce 
it  cannot  possibly  do  any  harm  unless  it  is  carried  to 
excess.  A  wise  plan  is  to  cut  through  all  the  thick 
roots  on  one  side  of  the  tree  the  first  year ;  if  that  does 
not  sufilice  to  check  exuberance  and  cause  fruitfulness, 
the  other  side  may  be  operated  on  the  following  year. 
Of  course,  this  is  in  reference  to  large  trees  ;  small  ones 
may  be  lifted  bodily,  and  all  the  strong  roots  trimmed. 

Pot  Strawberries. — Where  frame  room  is  limited,  a 
good  plan  of  disposing  of  pot  Strawberries  which  are 
intended  for  forcing  is  to  stack  them  in  a  heap  on  their 
sides.  The  main  object  is  to  protect  the  plants  from  the 
autumn  rains.  If  the  soil  gets  saturated  the  plants  do 
not  thrive ;  moreover,  sharp  frost  may  cause  the  moist 
soil  to  swell  and  split  the  pots.  Placing  the  pots  on 
their  sides  precludes  further  watering,  but  that  is  hardly 
likely  to  be  required  now.  Where  there  is  abundance 
of  frame  room  the  plants  can  be  kept  in  frames,  with  the 
pots  plunged  in  ashes. 

Vegetables 

Lifting  Beetroot  and  Carrots. — The  main  crops  of  these 
two  useful  vegetables  are  now  mature,  and  may  be  taken 
355 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY    WEEK 


Oct. 
I-I5 


up  and  stored.  The  fork  should  be  used  with  care, 
especially  in  the  case  of  Beetroot,  as  if  the  root  is 
injured  the  colour  is  lost.  It  generally  suffices  to  loosen 
the  soil  with  the  tool,  the 
roots  can  be  drawn  out  after- 
wards by  grasping  the  tops 
with  the  hand.  The  tops 
should  be  removed  without 
injury  to  the  crown.  The 
roots  keep  well  in  sand,  and 
under  straw  with  a  covering 
of  soil.  Parsnips  should  be 
left  in  the  ground,  and  only 
lifted  as  required  for  use. 

Cabbages,  Celery,  and  Leeks. 
— Cabbages  for  spring  may 
be  planted,  and  Celery 
earthed,  in  accordance  with 
the  hints  given  last  month. 
Leeks  may  also  be  earthed. 
Potatoes  may  be  lifted  and 
"clamped"  under  straw  and 
earth  when  the  foliage  turns 
yellow.  See  that  no  un- 
sound tubers  are  put  away  with  the  others,  or  more  may 
be  contaminated. 

Tomatoes  ought  to  be  ripened  off  under  cover  if  they 
have  not  already  coloured  out  of  doors.  It  is  dangerous 
to  leave  them  out  any  longer. 


Fig.  82.— Storing  Root 
Vegetables. 
a.  Where  to  remove  the  leaves  of 

Beetroot. 
i.  The  portion  of  a  Carrot  top  to 
leave  on. 

c.  The  roots  stored. 

d.  Soil 

e.  Straw. 


356 


A   NEW   OUTLOOK 

Oct. 
OCTOBER— Third  and  Fourth  Weeks  16-31 

Flowers 

Re-planting  Flower  Beds  for  Spring. — Except  in  very 
mild  seasons  the  summer  plants,  even  Begonias,  will 
now  be  over,  and  the  beds  may  be  cleared,  dug,  and 
planted  for  spring.  Bulbs,  and  some  of  the  biennials 
and  perennials  referred  to  in  earlier  chapters,  will  be 
valuable  for  this  purpose.  Wallflowers,  Polyanthuses, 
and  Primroses,  Sweet  Williams,  Canterbury  Bells,  and 
Forget-me-nots  will  prove  particularly  useful. 

Bulbs 

We  must  use  the  beautiful  bulbous  flowers  largely  for 
autumn-planting,  and  likewise  for  pots  and  vases.  They 
are  cheap,  easy  to  manage,  brilliant  in  colour,  and  in 
many  cases  fragrant.  We  cannot  do  better  than  employ 
them  largely  for  greenhouses,  rooms,  and  outdoor  beds. 
I  will  give  selections  of  the  most  important  kinds,  mean- 
time, the  following  are  among  the  most  useful  for  the 
open  air  : 

Aconites  (winter)  Dog's-Tooth  Violets 

Alstromerias  Hyacinths 

Anemones  Irises 

*Calochorti  Liliums 

Chionodoxa  (Glory  of  the  Snow)           Lily  of  the  Valley 

*Crinums  Narcissi 

Crocuses  Scillas 

Crown  Imperials  Snowdrops 

Cyclamens  Snowflakes 

Daffodils  Tulips 
*  These  should  have  sheltered  places. 

Aconites,    Anemones    (most,    but    not   the   autumn 
357 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Oct.  bloomers),  Chionodoxas,  Crocuses,  Cyclamens,  Dog's- 
16-31  Tooth  Violets,  Lily  of  the  Valley,  Scillas,  Snowdrops, 
and  Snowflakes  are  all  low  growers,  and  may  be  used  at 
the  front  of  the  borders  or  beds,  or  on  the  rockery. 
Alstromerias,  Crown  Imperials,  Daffodils,  Hyacinths, 
most  Irises,  Liliums,  Narcissi,  and  Tulips  are  bolder 
plants,  suitable  for  filling  beds  or  for  forming  groups  in 
borders. 

For  pots  and  vases  we  may  use  principally  : 

Crocuses  Liliums 

Dafifodils  Lily  of  the  Valley 

Freesias  Narcissi 

Hyacinths  Tulips 
Irises 

Anemones. — I  have  already  referred  to  the  fine  strains 
of  Crown  Anemones  called  the  Alderborough  and  the  St. 
Brigid,  but  I  may  say  here  that  the  roots  may  be  planted 
in  autumn  for  flowering  late  in  spring.  They  produce 
both  single  and  partially  double  flowers,  as  far  across  as 
breakfast-cups,  and  with  great  brilliancy  and  variety  of 
colour.  They  are  well  called  Poppy  Anemones,  for  they 
have  all  the  richness  and  glow  of  Poppies.  The  soil  for 
them  should  be  made  thoroughly  friable,  and  the  roots 
covered  an  inch  deep.  Other  good  Anemones  are 
Apennina,  Fulgens,  and  Nemorosa.  The  Japanese  and 
its  varieties  are  fine  for  autumn. 

The  Calochortus  is  a  beautiful  bulb,  but  it  is  courting 
failure  to  plant  it  in  a  cold,  exposed  place,  or  in  damp 
soil.  It  wants  a  warm,  sunny  spot,  and  light  soil.  The 
same  remarks  apply  to  the  Crinums. 

The  Glory  of  the  Snow  is  a  charming  blue  flower, 
pretty  in  colonies,  like  Snowdrops  and  Scillas,  and  also 
useful  for  dotting  among  bulbs.    It  should  be  noted,  how- 
ever, that  it  flowers  earlier  than  Hyacinths  and  Tulips. 
358 


'  '  '  I 


■/.v;;;;//-  d, 
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iliilSiS 


A   NEW   OUTLOOK 

Crocuses  are  pretty  in  colonies,  and  as  they  are  very 
cheap  there  is  encouragement  to  plant  them  in  quantity. 
They  look  very  nice  in  broad  stretches  in  grass,  particu- 
larly the  Golden  Yellow,  which  is  almost  as  cheerful  as  a 
break  of  sunshine  on  a  winter  day. 

Crown  Imperials  2iVQ  well  adapted  for  forming  effective 
clumps  in  herbaceous 
borders,  as  they  bear 
their  flowers  in  a 
cluster  on  a  tall  stem, 
the  brilliant  blossoms 
hanging  in  a  circle. 

Daffodils  are  a  great 
power.  They  are  the 
large  trumpet-shaped 
section  of  the  Nar- 
cissi, They  are  beauti- 
ful as  colonies  in  grass, 
in  clumps  in  herba- 
ceous borders,  in  beds, 
in  pots,  in  vases — 
everywhere  in  fact. 
Bulb-growers  tell  us 
that  Daffodils  are  ad- 
vancing and  Hya- 
cinths declining  in  public  favour.  This  may  be 
partly  due  to  the  greater  grace  of  the  Daffodils,  and 
partly  to  the  fact  that  they  increase  more  readily  in 
British  gardens.  When  they  like  the  soil — and  their 
tastes  are  pretty  catholic— they  form  offsets  freely,  which 
Hyacinths  do  not  do.  We  have  already  seen  that 
home-grown  Daffodils  may  be  hfted  and  replanted  in 
July  or  August.  Bought  bulbs  should  be  planted  in 
October  or  November,  about  double  their  own  depth,  in 
359 


Oct. 
16-31 


Fig.  83. 


-Planting  Daffodils  in 
Grass. 


a.  Turf  turned  back,  and  bulb  put  in. 

b.  Bulb  covered. 

c.  Soil  filled  in. 

d.  Positions  for  other  bulbs  to  form  clumps. 


THE   GARDEN    WEEK   BY    WEEK 

Oct.     deep,  fertile  soil.    When  forming  clumps,  large  or  small, 

^^31     the  bulbs  which  constitute  each  block  may  be  put  nine 

inches  apart.     Three  strong  plants  in  a  triangle  produce 

a  better  effect  than  half-a-dozen  huddled  together.     The 

Chalice-flowered,  or  Star  Narcissi,  and  the  Poeticus  are 

,  equally  as  beautiful  as 


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the  larger  Daffodils. 
The  bulbs  may  be 
planted  beneath  turf, 
and  will  spear  their 
way  through  quite 
readily  at  the  end  of 
winter.  With  respect 
to  pot  culture,  the 
Bunch-flowered(Poly- 
anthus)  Narcissi  are 
most  used,  but  the 
other  classes  are 
equally  desirable. 
Generally  three  bulbs 
of  the  larger  kinds 
may  go  in  a  6-inch 
pot,  and  three  of  the 
smaller  in  a  5-inch. 
The  Polyanthus  va- 
rieties are  generally 
potted  singly.  Three 
parts  of  loam,  one 
of  leaf  mould,  and 
some  sand,  all  well  mixed,  suit  admirably.  The  pots 
should  be  drained  with  crocks  surfaced  with  flakes  of 
leaf-mould,  and  the  soil  pressed  firmly  under  and 
around  the  bulbs,  but  not  made  quite  hard,  otherwise 
the  bulbs  will  be  forced  out  when  the  roots  start 
360 


Fig.  84. — Planting  Bulbs  in  the 
Garden. 

a.  Large  kinds  planted  in  groups  in  her- 
baceous borders. 

6.  Small  kinds  planted  in  groups  near  the 
front. 

c.  Small  kinds  planted  in  lines  round  a  border. 

d.  Large  kinds  planted  in  centre  of  a  border. 
e,/,^,  A, ».— Various  depths  for  planting  the 

smallest  and  largest  kinds  of  bulbs. 


A   NEW   OUTLOOK 

pushing  downward.  A  few  weeks  under  cocoa-nut  fibre 
refuse  or  ashes  will  be  an  advantage,  because  root 
growth  will  push  freely  in  advance  of  the  tops,  and  that 
is  desirable.  Daffodils  and  Narcissi  are  so  well  adapted 
to  cultj^vation  in  vases  for  room  decoration  that  this 
phase  of  culture  should  be  specially  studied.  The 
receptacles  are  not  porous  or  drilled,  so  that  no  water 
can  escape  except 
by  tilting  the  vases. 
This  fact  might  be 
considered  a  dis- 
advantage in  one 
sense,  as  it  would  be 
regarded  as  likely 
that  the  material 
would  become  sour, 
but  it  does  not. 
Peat-moss  fibre  is 
used  instead  of  soil, 
and  a  little  fine  shell 
is  mixed  with  it. 
The  materials  are 
supplied  separately  in  appropriate  proportions,  and 
are  mixed  and  watered.  The  fibre  swells  considerably 
when  the  water  is  added.  The  mixture  is  made  fairly 
firm  in  the  vases,  but  not  quite  hard.  As  with  pot  bulbs, 
the  tips  are  left  protruding.  Plunging  is  not  necessary. 
The  vases  ought  to  be  examined  once  a  week,  to  see  that 
the  fibre  does  not  get  quite  dry.  Moisture  is  essential 
to  success.  The  following  are  a  few  good  Narcissi  of 
various  classes  : 


Oct. 
16-31 


Fig.  85.— Bulbs  in  Vases  of  Fibre. 

a.  Lumps  of  charcoal. 

b.  Bulbs. 

c.  Vase  filled  with  fibre  and  bulbs  planted. 


Yellow  Trumpets 
*Emperor  *Golden  Spur 

Glory  of  Leyden  Johnstoni  Queen  of  Spain 

361 


Oct. 
16-31 


THE   GARDEN    WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Yellow  Trumpets  Double  Chalice-flowered 

*Obvallaris  (Tenby  Daffodil)     Orange  Phoenix 
Van  Waveren's  Giant  Silver  Phoenix 

White  Trumpets  Poeticus 

Cernuus  Almira  • 

Madame  de  Graaff  *Ornatus  (early) 

*Pallidus  Praecox  *Plenus  (double) 

Polyanthus 
Grand  Monarque  Soleil  d'Or 

Paper  White  (early) 

White  and  Yellow  Trumpets 
*Empress  Mrs.  Walter  Ware 

*Horsefieldii  Victoria 

Double  Trumpets 
Capax  Plenus  *Telamonius  Plenus  (Van  Sion) 

Single  Chalice-flowered 
*Barri  Conspicuus  *Sir  Watkin 

Duchess  of  Westminster  Stella  Superba 

*  These  are  cheap  varieties  that  may  be  planted  in  quantity. 

Hyacinths  are  beautiful  bulbs,  with  a  much  greater 
range  of  brilliant  colours  than  the  Daffodil,  and  with  an 
agreeable  perfume,  but  it  cannot  be  denied  that  they 
are  somewhat  lumpy,  and  when  planted  in  clumps  they 
have  none  of  the  lightsome  grace  of  the  Daffodil.  They 
are,  of  course,  extensively  bedded-out,  especially  by  the 
park-gardeners,  for  the  sake  of  their  brilliant  colours. 
Some  mix  Chalice  -  flowered  Narcissi  with  them  in 
order  to  take  off  the  stiffness.  Duchess  of  Westminster 
is  a  good  Narcissus  for  the  purpose,  and  Sir  Watkin  is 
also  used.  The  soil  should  be  deep,  friable,  and  moist. 
The  Hyacinths  may  be  planted  three  inches  deep,  and 
white  Arabis  planted  between  them  in  order  to  carpet 
the  soil.  On  the  whole,  Hyacinths  do  their  best  work 
362 


A   NEW   OUTLOOK 

in  pots  and  glasses.  They  are  delightful  plants  for 
decorating  greenhouses  in  spring,  as  they  are  so  sweet 
and  bright,  and  it  is  easy  to  mix  them  with  other  plants 
of  lighter  and  looser  habit,  so  that  there  is  no  stiffness. 
One  bulb  may  be  used  in  a  5-inch  pot,  and  similar  soil 
and  plunging  to  that  recommended  for  Daffodils  is 
advised.  Hyacinths  may  be  grown  in  vases  in  peat- 
moss fibre.  The  following  are  a  few  of  the  best  varieties 
in  the  various  colours  : 


Oct. 
16-31 


Red 

White  and  Blush 

Blue 

Jacques 

Grandeur  k  Merveille 

Electra 

Lady  Derby 

Isabella 

Grand  Maitre 

La  Victoire 

La  Grandesse 

King  of  the  Blues 

Von  Schiller 

La  Tour  d'Auvergne 
(double) 

Yellow 
Ida 

Menelik 

The  Grape  Hyacinths  (Muscari)  are  delightful  little 
plants  for  banks  and  rock  beds,  growing  only  four  or 
five  inches  high. 

Irises. — This  lovely  genus  should  be  represented  in 
every  garden.  No  border  is  complete  without  a  few 
representatives,  whether  bulbous  or  non-bulbous.  The 
English  and  Spanish  are  true  bulbs,  and  make  delightful 
clumps.  They  are  also  suitable  for  pot  culture.  The 
best  plan  is  to  buy  a  mixture,  and  set  the  bulbs  in 
clumps  of  from  three  to  twelve,  according  to  the 
size  of  the  border.  If  it  is  desired  to  blend  the 
colours  another  year,  the  varieties  can  be  arranged  at 
will.  Several  charming  species  may  be  grown,  notably 
Alata,  Bakeriana,  Bucharica,  Orchioides,  Reticulata, 
Susiana,  Sindjarensis,  and  Gatesi.  Reticulata  should 
have  a  sheltered  place,  as  it  is  not  fully  hardy  ;  it  is  a 
363 


THE   GARDEN  WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Oct.  lovely  plant,  and  thoroughly  worthy  of  care.  In  all 
16-31  cases  the  bulbs  may  be  planted  about  double  their  own 
depth.  The  Flag  Irises  are  not  bulbous,  but  they  can 
be  procured  and  planted  in  autumn  the  same  as  the  bulbs. 
They  are  as  hardy  as  Crabs,  and  will  grow  almost  any- 
where. Handsome,  full-foliaged  plants,  with  tall,  strong 
stems  surmounted  by  noble  flowers  of  beautiful  form 
and  colour,  they  are  among  the  grandest  of  all  garden 
flowers. 

Liliums. — These  have  had  attention  already,  and  only 
need  brief  reference  now.  A  good  many  garden-lovers 
like  to  specialise  one  particular  plant,  and  if  the  choice 
falls  on  the  Lilium  it  will  be  no  matter  for  surprise  or 
regret.  With  such  noble  yet  varied  plants  as  Auratum, 
Candidum,  Elegans  (also  grown  under  the  name  of 
Thunbergianum),  Chalcedonicum,  Croceum,  Specio- 
sum  (also  known  as  Lancifolium),  Longiflorum,  Mar- 
tagon,  Pardalinum,  Brownii,  Superbum,  Sulphureum, 
Giganteum,  and  Umbellatum,  with  their  respective 
varieties,  to  choose  from,  there  is  no  lack  of  material. 
Giganteum  is  the  tallest  and  Auratum  the  most  massive 
of  Lilies.  All  the  species  named  may  be  grown  in  well- 
drained  soil  in  the  garden.  Auratum  likes  an  admixture 
of  loam,  peat,  and  sand  with  the  soil.  Superbum  loves 
a  cool  soil  and  partial  shade. 

The  Lily  of  the  Valley  is  so  generally  considered  as  a 
forcing  plant  that  comparatively  few  people  grow  it  in 
the  garden.  It  is  hardy,  and  a  British  wilding.  It  loves 
a  cool,  shady  place,  and  may  be  naturalised  in  gardens 
where  such  a  site  can  be  found  for  it.  One  can  buy  root- 
clumps  for  this  purpose,  and  plant  them  a  few  inches 
apart,  with  the  crowns  just  beneath  the  surface,  in  well- 
manured  soil.  Separate  crowns  are  preferred  for  forcing, 
because  if  they  are  very  thick  at  the  upper  part — as 
364 


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A   NEW   OUTLOOK 

thick  as  a  lead  pencil — each  one  can  be  relied  on  to 
produce  flowers,  and  this  cannot  be  said  of  the  various 
crowns  which,  with  roots  and  soil,  make  up  the  bulb- 
dealer's  "clump."  If  early  flowers  alone  are  thought  of, 
the  crown  may  be 
forced  in  the  light ; 
but  if  leaves  are  wanted 
with  the  flowers,  early 
rooting  had  better  be 
encouraged  by  potting 
the  crowns  and  plung- 
ing them  for  a  few 
weeks  with  other  bulbs. 
The  pots  can  be  stood 
in  a  warm  house  after- 
wards. Crowns  of  Lily 
of  the  Valley  are  now 
put  into  cold  storage 
and  kept  dormant  until 
they  are  wanted,  thus 
the  season  is  made 
longer  than  it  used  to 
be.     Fortin  is  a  splendid  variety. 

Scillas,  or  Squills,  are  low-growing,  early-blooming 
bulbs.  The  species  Sibirica  is  one  of  the  plants  which 
dealers  stock  in  large  quantities,  and  offer  at  a  very  low 
rate,  so  that  it  can  be  colonised  if  desired.  It  is  a  useful 
little  plant  for  dotting  among  bulbs  in  beds,  and  its  deep 
blue  flowers  are  very  pretty.  It  blooms  with  the 
Snowdrops.  Bifolia  and  its  varieties  flower  a  little 
later. 

S7towdrops.—Th2ii  little  favourite,  the  Snowdrop,  is  a 
delightful  plant  for  naturalising,  and  may  be  planted  in 
turf,  as  well  as  in  selected  spots  in  the  woodland  and 
365 


Oct. 
16-31 


Fig.  86.— Forcing  Lily  of  thk  Valley 
Crowns. 

a.  A  poor  crown. 

b.  A  good  crown. 

c.  How  to  force  the  crowns  in  pots  in  a  pro- 

pagating frame. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Oct.     wild  garden.     The  plant  known  as  Galatithus  Elwesi  is 

^     really   a   giant    Snowdrop,    and    Galanthus    Plicatus  is 

another  interesting  species.     These  special  Snowdrops 

are  worthy  of  positions  in  the  rock  garden,  where  they 

will  make  pretty  winter  patches. 

The  Snowflakes  (botanically  LeucojU7ns),  are  as  pretty 
as  the  Snowdrops,  with  their  white,  green-tipped  flowers. 
Vernum,  the  Spring  Snowflake,  and  Aestivum,  the  Sum- 
mer Snowflake,  are  both  spring  bloomers,  but  the  former 
is  earlier  than  the  latter.  Leucojum  Vernum  Car- 
pathicum  is  a  charming  winter  -  flowering  Snowflake. 
Vagneri  is  another  fine  variety  of  Vernum.  They  are 
all  nice  flowers  for  the  rockery,  or  for  patches  in  beds 
and  borders. 

Tulips. — The  richly-painted  Tulip  is  a  noble  plant 
for  the  spring  flower  border,  making  grand  breaks  of 
colour.  The  May-bloomers  are  majestic  plants,  with 
thickets  of  luxuriant  leaves,  stems  nearly  as  strong  as 
those  of  Flag  Irises,  and  huge,  globular  flowers  of 
splendid  colour  and  substance.  The  Tulip  specialist 
can  have  some  of  his  favourites  in  bloom  throughout 
the  whole  of  spring,  for  the  earliest  of  the  dwarf  Dutch 
varieties  begin  flowering  about  Easter,  and  the  Darwin 
and  Cottage  varieties  last  till  June.  There  are,  too,  several 
pretty  species,  notably  Clusiana,  Gesneriana  and  its  varie- 
ties (magnificent  plants  these),  Leichtlini,  Greigi,  Linifolia, 
Macrospeila,  Retroflexa,  Sylvestris,  and  Vitellina.  They 
are  all  spring  bloomers,  but  the  majority  flower  in  May. 
The  Parrot  Tulips  are  a  singular  class,  with  their  beak- 
like petals.  The  "  Florist's  "  Tulips  are  a  dying  class  ; 
they  are  handsome  flowers,  with  petals  of  great  sub- 
stance and  beautiful  colour-markings,  but  they  are  not, 
as  a  whole,  suitable  for  giving  beautiful  blocks  of  colour, 
and  are  scarce  and  dear.  The  early  Dutch  Tulips  are 
366 


The  Summer  Snowfi.ake,  Leucojum  aestivum,  a  charming  bulb 

TO  PLANT  IN  AU  1  UMN. 


A   NEW   OUTLOOK 

the  most  useful  for  pots,  and  they  also  come  in  well  for  Oct. 
beds.  The  May-bloomers  (Darwin  and  Cottage)  are  the  16-31 
finest  class  for  borders.  The  largest  of  the  species,  such 
as  Gesneriana,  are  splendid  for  groups,  but  the  smaller 
are  best  in  the  rock  garden.  The  Parrots  make  pretty 
beds  and  border  groups.  The  Hyacinth  and  Daffodil 
compost  will  suit  pot  Tulips  perfectly  well,  and  three 
bulbs  per  5-inch  pot  will  be  a  proper  allowance.  They 
should  be  plunged  for  a  few  weeks  after  potting,  like 
Hyacinths.  Early  Dutch  Tulips  are  also  well  adapted 
for  cultivation  in  vases,  like  Daffodils,  peat-moss  fibre 
and  shell  being  used  in  place  of  soil.  When  grown  as 
garden  plants  they  ought  to  be  put  in  deep,  fertile, 
friable  soil,  and  covered  about  three  inches  deep.  If 
possible,  the  groups  should  consist  of  at  least  six  bulbs 
each,  set  nine  inches  apart.  The  following  are  good 
varieties  in  the  various  sections  : 

Early  Dwarf  Single 
Chrysolora,  yellow  Ophir  d'Or,  yellow 

Cottage  Maid,  pink  Pink  Beauty,  pink  and  white 

Due  van  Thol,  various  colours         Proserpine,  rose,  early 
Joost  van  Vondel,  crimson  and         Thomas  Moore,  orange 

white  Vermilion  Brilliant,  scarlet 

Keizer's  Kroon,  red  and  yellow      White  Swan,  white 
Le  Reve,  pink 

Early  Double 
Blanche  Hative,  white  Salvator  Rosa,  rose 

Imperator  Rubrorum,  scarlet  Tournesol,  red  and  yellow 

La  Candeur,  white  „         yellow 

Tall  Late  Single 

Billietiana   Sunset,   red  and  Kern,  amethyst 

yellow  La  Merveille,  rose,  fragrant 

Clara  Butt,  pink  Mrs.  Moon,  yellow 

Dainty  Maid,  scarlet  and  white  Mrs.  Walter  Ware,  orange 

Farncombe  Sanders,  red  Picotee,  rose,  white  margin 

Gesneriana  Spathulata,  scarlet  Pride  of  Haarlem,  crimson 

Inglescombe  Scarlet  Sultan,  marone 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY    WEEK 

Oct.  Other  bulbs  and  tubers  worth   growing  are  AlHum 

16-31  Neapolitanum  (garden),  Amaryllis  Belladonna  (Bella- 
donna Lily — garden),  Colchicum  (Meadow  Saffron — 
garden),  Dog's  -  Tooth  Violets  (rockery),  Fritillaria 
(Snake's-head  Lily — garden),  Galtonia  or  Hyacinthus 
Candicans  (garden).  Gladiolus  Colvellei  Alba  (pots)  and 
G.  Brenchle3'ensis  (garden),  Lxias  (pots),  Lachenalias 
(hanging  baskets),  Ornithogalum  (Star  of  Bethelem — 
garden),  Ranunculuses  (garden — plant  in  February), 
Sparaxis  (pots),  Sternbergia  (garden  or  rockery), 
Trigridias  (garden),  Wood  Lily  (Trillium — shady  spot 
in  the  garden),  Tropoeolums  (garden),  and  Tuberoses 
(pots). 

Freesias  are  among  the  most  delightful  of  bulbs  on 
account  of  their  delicious  fragrance,  and  because  they 
open  their  pretty  flowers  in  winter ;  they  have  been 
dealt  with  pretty  fully  already. 

Montbretias  are  not  true  bulbs,  but  are  often  included 
in  catalogues,  and  may  be  procured  and  planted  in 
October.  They  have  graceful  leaves,  and  produce  loose 
spikes  of  flowers  ranging  in  colour  from  yellow  to 
orange  and  scarlet.  Growing  in  almost  any  soil,  brilliant 
in  colour,  and  lasting  long  in  bloom,  they  are  among  the 
most  valuable  of  hardy  plants. 

Bulbs  for  Window  Boxes. — The  window  boxes,  like 
the  flower  beds,  need  a  change  in  autumn,  the  summer 
and  autumn-flowering  plants  being  removed,  and  fresh 
ones  substituted  for  spring  flowering.  The  opportunity 
should  be  taken  of  overhauling  the  boxes  thoroughly. 
They  should  be  emptied,  repainted  if  necessary,  supplied 
with  new  drainage  material,  and  fresh  loam  and  leaf- 
mould  added  to  a  portion  of  the  old  soil  before  refilling. 
Bulbs  are  beautiful  spring  plants,  but  as  the  boxes  are 
bare  most  of  the  winter  if  nothing  else  is  employed,  a  few 
368 


A  CLUMP  01--  wHiiE  Tulips. 


A   NEW   OUTLOOK 

Wallflowers  and  coloured  Primroses  and  Polyanthuses    Oct. 
can  be  put  in  also,  the  last  two  near  the  front.     Guard    I0~3I 
against  overcrowding  by  calculating  the  space  which  the 
bulbs  will  require  ultimately  when  putting  in  the  growing 
plants. 

Sweet  Peas. — The  plan  of  sowing  Sweet  Peas  in 
autumn,  out  of  doors,  is  an  old  one  ;  and  it  has  the 
recommendation  that,  if  the  plants  come  safely  through 
the  winter,  they  bloom  earlier  than  spring-sown  plants — 
that  is,  unless  the  latter  are  pushed  on  under  glass.  It  is 
not  wise  to  risk  seed  of  expensive  varieties  in  the  ground 
in  October  ;  and  if  such  sorts  are  wanted  to  flower  early 
they  had  better  be  sown  under  glass ;  but  cheaper  sorts 
and  mixtures  may  be  tried  if  desired.  The  soil  should 
be  made  quite  friable,  and  the  seed  covered  three  inches 
deep. 

Fruit 

Gathering  and  Storing  Fruit. — In  view  of  the  pro- 
bability of  sharp  frost  coming  soon,  it  is  desirable 
to  gather  any  outdoor  fruit  that  is  still  on  the  trees. 
Mid-season  and  late  Apples  like  Blenheim,  Lane's  Prince 
Albert,  Bramley's  Seedling,  Newton  Wonder,  Cox's 
Orange  Pippin,  Wellington,  Sturmer,  and  Rosemary 
Russet  (to  name  a  few  of  both  culinary  and  dessert 
varieties)  are  particularly  valuable,  and  should  be  gathered 
and  stored  carefully.  A  cool,  clean,  sweet-smelling  store 
is  a  great  advantage,  as  it  insures  the  fruit  being  quite 
free  from  mustiness.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  large 
growers  erect  a  special  building,  with  double  walls  and 
thatched  roof,  for  storing  fruit.  They  keep  it  on  plain 
open  stages,  using  no  straw  or  hay.  Small  growers 
cannot  do  this,  of  course,  as  the  quantity  of  fruit  which 
they  grow  does  not  justify  the  expense.  The  best  of  the 
369  3  A 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Oct.  fruit  may  be  stored  in  large  clean  earthenware  jars  after 
10-31  it  has  stood  a  few  days  to  "  sweat,"  and  the  jars  may  be 
sealed  up  and  put  away  in  a  cool  place.  Large  bulks 
may  also  be  stored  in  barrels,  which  can  be  closed  and 
covered  with  straw ;  but  great  care  must  be  taken  to 
avoid  putting  any  unsound  fruits  in,  or  others  will 
become  contaminated,  and  rot.  Late  Pears,  such  as 
Glou  Morgeau,  Josephine  de  Malines,  Easter  Beurr6, 
Olivier  de  Serres,  and  Winter  Nelis  must  be  gathered  also, 
although  they  are  still  quite  hard.  Some  pressure  may 
be  required  to  remove  them,  but  it  need  not  be  applied 
so  roughly  as  to  injure  the  spurs.  They  may  be  laid  on  a 
clean  shelf  in  a  sweet,  well-ventilated  place.  The  cooler 
it  is,  provided  that  it  is  frost-proof,  the  better,  as  then 
the  fruit  will  ripen  by  degrees,  and  a  suitable  succession 
can  be  maintained.  This  desideratum  can  be  expedited 
by  selecting  a  few  of  the  most  forward  fruits  from  time  to 
time,  and  putting  them  in  a  warm  house. 

Grapes. — Where  Grapes  are  still  hanging  on  the  Vines, 
it  will  be  well  to  look  over  the  bunches  in  order  to  make 
sure  that  there  are  no  decaying  berries ;  if  there  are,  they 
should  be  removed  at  once,  or  they  will  contaminate 
others.  The  Grapes  keep  best  in  a  dry  atmosphere,  and 
it  will  be  impossible  to  maintain  this  now  and  onwards 
without  warming  the  hot-water  pipes,  as  the  external  air 
is  naturally  moist.  It  is  not  desirable  to  keep  the  venti- 
lators closed,  except  in  muggy  weather.  If  there  has 
been  any  trouble  from  "shanking" — that  is,  shrivelling 
of  the  footstalks  of  the  berries — and  it  is  certain  that 
overcropping  and  underfeeding  are  not  the  cause,  the  soil 
may  be  removed  from  the  border  where  the  foliage  has 
fallen  or  is  mature,  and  any  deep-striking  roots  cut 
through.  The  upper  part  of  the  roots  should  be  raised 
into  the  surface  soil,  and  fresh  loam  put  round  them. 
^70 


A   NEW   OUTLOOK 


Pot  Fruit  Trees. — The  present  is  a  good  time  to  repot 
all  kinds  of  fruit  trees  that  are  grown  in  large  pots.  What  is 
termed  "  orchard-house  culture  " — that  is,  growing  trees 
in  pots  and  standing  them  in  a  large,  cool,  airy  house, 
when  the  buds  begin  to  expand — is  well  worth  the 
attention  of  those  who  can  afford  to  practise  it.  The 
house  is  not  wanted  for  the  trees  the  whole  of  the  year 
— only  for  a  few  weeks,  as  a  matter 
of  fact.  At  other  periods.  Tomatoes, 
Chrysanthemums,  and  other  import- 
ant crops  can  be  grown  in  it.  The 
system  is  somewhat  more  expensive 
than  growing  fruit  in  the  open  air, 
as,  in  addition  to  the  house,  a  part 
of  the  cost  of  which  would  have  to 
be  charged  to  the  fruit,  large  pots 
have  to  be  provided.  Ten-  and  twelve- 
inch  are  suitable.  Trees  could  be 
bought  now,  and  the  pots  plunged  in 
ashes  in  a  sheltered  place  for  the 
winter,  or  in  spring.  In  repotting 
existing  trees,  the  lower  part  of  the 
ball  of  soil  and  roots,  the  sides,  and 
the  top  can  all  be  reduced  to  the 
extent  of  a  couple  of  inches  with- 
out fear  of  injury,  even  if  some 
roots  are  destroyed  in  the  process.  The  pots  should  be 
cleaned,  re-drained,  and  fresh  loamy  soil  packed  well 
in  round  the  old  ball.  The  trees  will  be  all  right  in  the 
open  during  the  winter,  but  if  they  comprise  some 
Peaches  and  Nectarines,  these  should  have  the  most 
shelter,  as  they  are  more  likely  to  be  injured  by  hard 
frost  than  Apples,  Pears,  Cherries,  and  Plums. 

Strawberry  Beds, — Beds  of  Strawberries  would  last  in 


Oct. 
16-31 


Fig.  87.— Repotting 
Fkuit  Trees. 

a.  Space  left  for  future 
top-dressing 

b.  Good  drainage. 

c.  New  compost. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 

Oct.     bearing  much  longer  than  they  do,  if  they  were  gone 
Io~3I    over  regularly  at  this  time  of  year,  all  weeds  and  runners 

removed,  the  soil  loosened,  and  a  coat  of  manure  laid 

between  the  rows. 


Vegetables 

Broad  Beans. — A  row  may  be  sown  at  the  end  of  the 

month  in  rich,  friable  soil,  the  seed  being  covered  three 
inches  deep. 

Broccoli. — When  the  autumn  is  mild.  Broccoli  grows 
too  late  and  too  strongly,  and  is  often  severely  injured 
by  winter  frost.  It  is  desirable  that  growth  should  be 
checked  now,  and  if  Nature  does  not  do  it  the  ground 
had  better  be  chopped  along  each  row  a  few  inches  from 
the  stem  in  order  to  sever  some  of  the  roots. 

Cauliflowers. — The  autumn  varieties  will  now  be 
hearting.  Young  hearts  can  be  protected  in  frosty 
weather  by  breaking  one  of  the  leaves  over  them. 

Peas. — A  sowing  of  Peas  may  be  made  similarly  to 
dwarf  Beans. 

The  work  with  Cabbages,  Celery,  Leeks,  and  Tomatoes 
may  be  continued  as  in  the  early  half  of  the  month. 


Oct.  The  Garden  in  October— A  RfisuMfi 

R^sumd  October  is  in  part  a  month  of  clearing  up  for  the 
past  season,  and  in  part  of  preparation  for  the  following 
one. 

Chrysanthemums  which  are  grown  in  pots  have  to 
be  taken  under  cover  for  flowering.  Tuberous  Begonias, 
Cannas,  Gladioli,  and  Dahlias  are  taken  up  when  they 
have  completed  their  work,  and  stored  for  the  winter. 
Young  herbaceous  Calceolarias  and  Cinerarias  should 
372 


Rdsurad 


A   NEW   OUTLOOK 

be  transferred  from  frames  to  greenhouses.  Bedding  Oct. 
Calceolarias,  Pansies,  Pentstemons,  Snapdragons,  and 
Violas  can  be  propagated  by  means  of  cuttings.  Young 
Zonal  Geraniums  for  bedding  should  be  put  into  boxes 
and  housed  for  the  winter.  If  winter  Violets  are  wanted, 
a  frame  can  be  made  up  and  planted. 

An  important  item  of  October  work  is  clearing 
exhausted  flower  beds,  and  replanting  them  with  bulbs 
of  various  kinds,  Wallflowers,  Sweet  Williams,  Primroses, 
Canterbury  Bells,  Forget-me-nots,  and  other  plants. 

Hyacinths,  Tulips,  Lilies,  and  other  bulbs  may  be 
planted,  potted,  and  put  in  glasses  and  vases.  Window- 
boxes  may  be  overhauled  and  replanted  for  spring. 
Sweet  Peas  may  be  sown. 

There  will  not  be  a  great  deal  to  do  in  the  fruit 
garden.  Early  Vines  may  be  pruned.  Fruit  trees  that 
have  not  blossomed  on  account  of  luxuriant  growth  may 
be  root- pruned.  Pot  fruit  trees  may  be  repotted. 
Strawberries  for  forcing  may  be  laid  on  their  sides,  and 
beds  of  Strawberries  cleared  and  manured.  Apples 
and  Pears  may  be  gathered  and  stored. 

In  the  kitchen  garden.  Beetroot,  Carrots,  and  Potatoes 
may  be  lifted  and  stored.  Cabbages  may  be  planted. 
Celery  and  Leeks  may  be  earthed.  Tomatoes  should 
be  ripened  off.  Broad  Beans  and  Peas  may  be  sown. 
Broccoli  that  is  growing  very  strongly  may  be  checked 
by  chopping  round  with  a  spade. 


373 


CHAPTER  XI 

CHRYSANTHEMUM   TIME 

Nov.  November  is  the  month  of  months  for  the  Chrysan- 
themum lover.  It  brings  the  crown  of  his  year's  work 
in  the  form  of  a  lovely  display  of  flowers  in  his  con- 
servatory, it  brings  the  exhibitions,  it  brings  the  interest 
of  studying  the  season's  debutantes,  and  it  brings  that 
comparison  of  results  and  interchange  of  views  with 
other  growers  which  is  so  pleasant  and  helpful.  The 
Golden  Flower  is  at  its  best,  and  its  best  is  something 
that  robs  November  of  all  its  accepted  terrors — wet, 
fog,  frost,  and  murk.  The  veriest  misanthrope  loses  his 
gloom  when  he  sees  a  collection  of  Chrysanthemums. 
The  warming,  inspiring  influences  of  the  flower  flow  all 
over  him,  and  show  him  that  there  is  still  something  left 
in  life.  The  dyspeptic  no  longer  groans  because  he  is 
forbidden  to  take  lobster  salad  at  midnight;  he  is  content 
to  do  without  it,  for  he  sees  that  there  is  something 
better. 

Chrysanthemum  time  is  a  period  of  warmth,  glow, 
and  cheerfulness.  Mark  Tapley  would  have  have  had  a 
bad  time  in  these  Chrysanthemum  days,  because  his  best 
efforts  to  avoid  being  jolly  would  have  been  unavailing, 
and  he  would  have  been  blithe  and  hilarious  in  spite  of 
himself. 

November   is   more   than   a    mere   Chrysanthemum 
month,  however.     It  is  the  great  planting  month  of  the 
year.     It  is  that  happy  month  when  we  spend  joyous 
374 


CHRYSANTHEMUM   TIME 

evenings  over  Rose,  fruit,  tree,  shrub,  and  bulb  catalogues  Nov. 
— when  we  make  out  orders  and  alter  them,  and  send 
them  off  and  cancel  them,  and  recollect  a  week  after  we 
posted  them  (a  week  in  which  we  have  got  very  angry 
with  the  florist  because  he  has  not  acknowledged  them) 
that  we  forgot  to  put  our  name  and  address  on ;  a  month 
when  we  worry  all  our  friends,  and  the  nurserymen,  and 
the  editors  of  gardening  papers,  and  the  secretaries  of 
horticultural  societies,  for  opinions  about  varieties.  It 
is  the  month  when  we  plan  shrubberies,  and  Rose 
gardens,  and  tennis  lawns,  and  all  kinds  of  fresh 
features.  Our  gardening  enthusiasm  of  the  past  year 
is  still  strong  upon  us,  and  we  know  that  now  or  never  ' 
is  the  time  to  act. 

Truly  in  these  days,  when  all  people  are  gardeners, 
November  has  become  a  changed  month.  Once  the 
month  which  people  dreaded  most  as  the  sum  of  all  that 
was  gloomy,  dispiriting,  and  oppressive,  it  has  become  a 
month  that  is  looked  forward  to  eagerly. 

NOVEMBER— First  and  Second  Weeks  Nov. 

Flowers  ~  ^ 

Arum  Lilies. — If  beautiful  white  spathes  are  wanted 
at  Christmas,  the  plants  ought  to  have  a  minimum 
temperature  of  55°,  and  abundance  of  water.  They  will 
live  in  a  low  temperature,  and  retain  their  freshness 
(although  frost  will  tarnish  them),  but  they  will  not 
bloom. 

Biennials  and  Perennials. — All  the  biennials  and 
perennials  which  were  raised  from  seed  in  early  summer 
may  be  planted  in  beds  and  borders  in  November. 
Dahlias  will  now  be  over,  probably,  and  make  room  for 
fresh  plants. 

375 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Nov.  Bulbs  of  all  kinds  may  be  planted  in  beds,  potted,  put 

•"■"^S  into  vases  and  glasses,  and  arranged  with  Wallflowers 
and  Primroses  in  window  boxes,  in  accordance  with  the 
hints  given  in  the  last  chapter.  It  is  desirable  to  dispose 
of  all  the  bulbs  this  month,  as  many  begin  to  grow  in 
the  store,  and  that  is  not  desirable.  Bulbs  that  were 
potted  early,  such  as  Roman  Hyacinths,  Paper  White 
Narcissi,  and  Van  Thol  Tulips,  and  which  were  plunged, 
will  probably  have  made  abundance  of  roots  by  now, 
and  be  growing  at  the  tip.  They  should  be  brought  into 
the  light,  put  in  a  warm  house,  watered,  and  so  brought 
into  bloom. 

Chrysanthemums. — There  should  be  great  pleasure 
in  the  Chrysanthemums  now.  The  house  in  which  the 
plants  are  flowering  will  be  visited  frequently.  With 
skilful  management,  it  can  be  kept  beautiful  for  a  long 
time.  By  keeping  heat  in  the  pipes  and  ventilating  in 
fine  weather,  a  free  circulation  of  warm,  dry  air  is  main- 
tained, and  that  has  a  great  influence  on  the  plants,  and 
through  them  on  the  flowers.  Watering  will  be  required 
when  the  soil  gets  dry,  but  not  necessarily  every  day. 
Care  should  be  taken  to  avoid  spilling  water  about, 
especially  late  in  the  day,  as  it  leads  to  damp. 

Fuchsias. — These  plants  will  have  gone  out  of  bloom, 
and  become  dingy.  There  is  no  advantage  in  trying  to 
keep  them  growing,  but  rather  the  reverse,  and  the  best 
plan  is  to  put  them  together  in  an  out-of-the-way  corner, 
free  from  drip,  and  dry  them  off  for  the  winter.  As  long 
as  they  are  safe  from  frost  they  will  be  all  right  until 
spring. 

Zonal  Geraniums. — We  have  already  seen  how  young 

plants  for  the  garden  should  be  dealt  with.     As  regards 

the  old  plants  from  the  beds,  it  is  hardly  worth  while  to 

preserve  them  if  there  is  an  adequate  supply  of  young 

376 


The  handsome  hardy  border  plant  Stenactis  speciosa. 


CHRYSANTHEMUM   TIME 

ones,  but  if  desired  they  can  be  kept.  A  simple  plan  is 
to  crop  the  branches  and  roots  to  mere  stumps,  and 
hang  the  plants  in  bundles  in  a  cool,  dry,  frost-proof 
outhouse,  store,  or  cellar.  Pot  plants  raised  from 
cuttings  in  spring,  repotted,  pinched  as  required,  and 
disbudded  in  summer,  may  now  come  into  bloom,  and 
will  greatly  enliven  the  stages  of  the  greenhouse.  With 
care  in  watering,  and  picking  off  fading  trusses,  they  will 
remain  in  bloom  for  a  long  time. 

Herbaceous  Borders. — There  are  not  likely  to  be  many 
flowers,  although  in  a  mild  autumn  Stenactis  speciosa, 
a  few  late  Michaelmas 
Daisies,  Chrysanthemums, 
and  Dahlias  may  still  be 
in  beauty.  As  long  as  a 
border  remains  fresh  it  may 
be  left,  because  it  gives 
something  cheerful  to  the 
eye,  and  the  shock  of  loss 
and  blankness  which  fol- 
lows a  clearance  should  be 
deferred  as  long  as  possible. 
But  when  the  foliage  be- 
comes discoloured  and  the 
stems  leafless,  the  plants 
should  be  cut  down  to  the 
ground,  the  prunings  taken 
to  the  rubbish  corner,  and 
burnt.  The  border  can  be 
dug  then,  such  fresh  plant- 
ing as  is  desired  carried 
out  (see  earlier  chapter  for 
notes  on  suitable  plants  and  attractive  colour  schemes), 
bulbs  put  in,  and  all  left  neat  for  the  winter. 
377 


Nov. 
1-15 


Fig.  88.— Hyacinths  in  Glasses 
(p.  378). 

a.  Bulb  just  touching  water. 

b.  Lumps  of  charcoal. 

c.  Bulb  growing. 

d.  Spike  showing. 

e.  Roots  growing  in  the  water. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Nov.  Hyacinths  in  Glasses, — The  culture  of  Hyacinths  in 

^~^5  vases  of  peat-moss  fibre  has  tended  to  reduce  the  use  of 
these  popular  spring-flowering  plants  in  glasses  of  water. 
While  those  who  intend  to  buy  either  vases  or  glasses 
might  well  decide  in  favour  of  the  former,  it  is  certain 
that  those  who  have  glasses  in  store  will  want  to  make 
use  of  them.  Smooth,  even  bulbs  should  be  chosen, 
and  water  put  in  nearly  to  the  base.  One  or  two  pieces 
of  charcoal  will  help  to  keep  it  pure.  The  glasses  ought 
to  stand  in  a  dark  place  until  the  bulbs  have  rooted  freely. 
Roses. — There  is  much  work  in  the  Rose  garden  in 
November.  While  there  should  be  no  such  thing  as  a 
general  pruning,  it  is  desirable  to  shorten  any  long,  late- 
formed,  sappy  shoots  on  open-ground  plants.  The 
growths  of  pillar  and  wall  Roses  should  be  tied  in,  but  old 
canes  that  are  not  needed  for  future  flowering  may  be 
pruned  back  to  a  young  shoot,  or  even  cut  out  altogether. 
The  question  of  protection  is  important  in  cold  places.  So 
far  as  dwarf  plants  are  concerned,  it  is  easily  provided  by 
drawing  the  soil  up  in  a  mound  above  the  lower  buds, 
and  leaving  it  there  till  early  spring,  when  growth  from 
the  base  of  the  plants  can  be  rehed  on.  This  being  so,  it 
is  not  of  great  consequence  if  some  injury  is  done  to  the 
upper  parts.  The  side  shoots  of  standards  often  get 
badly  nipped.  If  the  somewhat  unsightly  appearance  is 
not  objected  to,  some  bracken  may  be  laid  among  the 
branches,  and  a  piece  of  canvas  tied  round  the  head,  in 
the  case  of  special  varieties.  A  wall  plant  can  be  pro- 
tected by  nailing  a  mat  over  it,  but  wall  Roses  do  not 
often  suffer  much.  Most  of  the  planting  of  the  year  is 
done  in  November.  The  ground  ought  to  be  prepared 
thoroughly  by  digging  it  two  feet  deep  and  working  in  a 
liberal  dressing  of  good  yard  manure.  The  Roses  should 
be  planted  firmly,  and  the  standards  staked.  The  plants 
3/8 


CHRYSANTHEMUM   TIME 

may  be  two  feet  apart,  except  in  the  case  of  very 
vigorous  varieties,  which  may  be  two  and  a  half  feet. 
The  nature  of  the  sort  can  be  judged  by  the  length  and 
thickness  of  the  wood.  Where  pillars,  arches,  or  per- 
golas are  being  put  in  for  Roses  or  other  climbers,  the 
uprights  should  be  embedded  two  and  a  half  feet  to 
insure  security,  and  the  part  to  be  covered  with  soil 
soaked  in  hot  tar  or  creosote.  Larch  poles  with  the 
lower  part  stripped  of  the  bark  are  lasting  if  treated  as 
advised.  Poles  are  apt  to  rot  just  at  the  surface  of  the 
soil ;  this  is  because  the  preservative  coating  is  not 
brought  high  enough.  Those  who  want  to  bud  their 
own  standard  stocks  in 
summer  should  procure 
standard  Dog  Roses, 
which  are  dug  from  the 
hedgerows  in  November, 
and  plant  them  a  foot 
apart  in  rows  a  yard 
asunder.  Some  good 
varieties  were  named  in 
a  previous  chapter. 

Trees  and  Shrubs  ^=:i^='!$*^^^^^*^^5r^i,V 

November  is  a  good 
month  for  planting 
nearly  all  kinds  of  trees 
and  shrubs.  The  soil 
may  be  prepared  in  the  same  way  as  for  Roses,  and  the 
standard  trees  staked  thoroughly  in  order  to  keep  them 
quite  steady. 

In  a  well-planted  shrubbery  there  is  a  due  proportion 
of   both  deciduous  (leaf-losing)  and  evergreen  shrubs. 
379 


Nov. 
1-15 


Fig.  89.— Planting  Shrubs. 

a.  The  hole  made   large   enough  for  the 
roots  to  be  spread  evenly. 

b.  The  stem,  which  must  not  be  buried. 


THE    GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 


Nov. 
1-15 


The  former  appear  to  suffer  a  disadvantage  as  compared 
with  the  latter,  because  they  are  bare  in  the  winter,  but 
it  must  be  remembered  that  their  early  spring  and 
autumn  tints  are  beautiful,  and  many  of  them  bear 
attractive  flowers.     The  following  are  good  kinds  : 


Acer  Negundo  Variegata 
•Amelanchier 

Azalea  Mollis,  in  variety 

Buddleia  Globosa 
„         Variabilis 

Chimonanthus  Fragrans 

Cornus  (Dogwood) 

Crataegus  Lelandii 
*Cydonia  (Pyrus)  Maulei 

Cytisus  Andreanus 
•Daphne  Mezereum 

Deutzia  Crenata  Flore  Pleno 

Diervilla  (Weigela),  in  variety 
*Forsythia  Suspensa 

Genistas  (Broom),  in  variety 

Hamamelis  Mollis 

Hippophae  Rhamnoides  (Sea 
Buckthorn) 

Hydrangeas 
•Hypericum  (St.  John's  Wort) 


Deciduous  Shrubs 

*Kerria  Japonica  Flore  Pleno 
•Laburnums 
Ligustrum  (Privet) 
•Lilacs  (Charles  X.,  &c.) 
Magnolia  Stellata 
•Philadelphus  (Mock  Orange) 
Pyrus  {See  Cydonia) 
•Rhus  Cotinus 
„      Typhina 
•Ribes  Sanguineum  (Currant) 

„     Aureum 
Robinia  Hispida  Inermis 

„        Neo-Mexicana 
Rubus  Deliciosus 
Spiraea  Douglasi 

„       Arguta 
Tamarisk 
•Viburnum  Plicatum 
•Weigelas,  in  variety 


Andromeda  Floribunda 
•Arbutus  Unedo 

Arundinarias,    Bambusas,  and 

Phyllostachys  (Bamboo) 
•Aucubas,  in  variety 
•Berberis  Darwinii 

Buxus  (Box) 

Coronilla  Glauca 

Cotoneaster  Microphylla 

Cupressus  Lawsoniana,  and 
varieties 

Daboecia  Polifolia 


Evergreen  Shrubs 

Ericas  (Heaths)  Carnea,  Medi- 
terranea,  &c. 
Euonymuses 
•Hollies,  in  variety 
•Ivies,  in  variety 
Junipers,  in  variety 
Kalmia  Glauca 
Lavender 
•Laurels 
Ledum 
•Ligustrum  (Privet) 
•Magnolia  Grandiflora 
380 


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m  MmM 

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I 


CHRYSANTHEMUM   TIME 

Nov. 

Evergreen  Shrubs  I"I5 

Olearia  Haastii  *Veronicas,  in  variety 

Pernettyas  *Viburnum  Tinus  (Laurestinus) 

Rhododendrons,  in  variety  *Yuccas 

Thuyas,  in  variety 

*  Those  marked  with  an  asterisk  thrive  in  town  gardens. 

Decidtwtis  Trees 

Ailanthus  (Tree  of  Heaven)  Lime  (Linden) 

Almonds  Liriodendron  (Tulip  Tree) 

Apples  Maples 

Beeches  (including   the   purple-  Magnolia  Grandifloia 

leaved)  Oaks 

Catalpa  Bignonioides  Paulownia  Imperialis 

Cherries  Planes 

Chestnuts  Poplars 

Elders  (including  Golden)  Prunus  Pissardi 

Laburnums  Pyrus  Floribunda 

Lilacs  Robinia  Pseud-Acacia 

Practically  all  of  them  will  succeed  near  towns. 

Conifers 

These  are  handsome  evergreen  trees,  and  should  be  included — 

Abies  (Fir)  Libocedrus  Decurrens 

Araucaria     Imbricata    (Monkey  Piceas 

Puzzle)  Pines 

Cedrus  (Cedar)  Pseudotsuga  (or  Abies)  Douglasi 

Cryptomeria  Japonica  Thuyas 

Cupressus  (Cypress),  in  variety  Wellingtonia  Gigantea 

Ginkgo  Biloba  (Maidenhair  Tree)  Yews  (Taxus) 
Junipers 

Greenhouses  and  Heating 

It  is  a  November  call  on  a  friend  who  has  a  house 
of  Chrysanthemums  which    has   led  many  an  amateur 
gardener  to  buy  a  glass-house.     The  sight  of  the  beauti- 
ful flowers  at  a  period  when  his  own  garden  is  bare 
381 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 


Nov.      convinces  him  that  there  is  something  wanting  in  his 
^"^5      establishment. 

A  greenhouse  is  certainly  a  very  pleasant  addition  to 
a  garden,  and  not  on  account  of  Chrysanthemums  alone. 
A  large  number  of  winter-flowering  plants  can  be  grown 
in  it,  and  flowers  produced  at  a  season  when  without  it 
they  would  be  scarce. 

If  the  house  is  made  in  sections,  attached  by  screws 
instead  of  nails,  and  stood  on  loose  bricks,  it  can  be 

taken    down,  packed 
up,  and   removed  at 
any  time.     It  can  be 
made  to  lean  against 
a  wall,  or  to  be  self- 
supporting.    A  group 
of    Chrysanthemums 
is   easier    to    arrange 
in  a  lean-to  than  in  a 
span-roof    house,    as 
tall    plants     can     be 
put  against  the  back 
wall,  and  lower  ones 
grouped    in    front  of 
them.      But   a  span- 
roof,  with  flat  stages, 
is  a  better  type  for  a 
general  collection  of 
dwarfer  plants,  such  as  Calceolarias,  Cinerarias,  Cycla- 
mens,   Primulas,  Zonal    Geraniums,    Bouvardias,   Hya- 
cinths, Freesias,  and  Tulips.     And,  as  the  gardeners  in 
the  public  parks  show  us,  Chrysanthemums  can  be  made 
to  look  very  nice  in  span-roof  houses. 

A  lean-to  house  is  best  for  Vines  and  Peaches,  and  a 
house  that  is  built  for  these  fruits  should  be  put  against 
382 


Fig.  90.— Span-Roof  Greenhouse— Section. 

a.  Walls. 

b.  Front  woodwork  and  glass,  also  ventilators, 

c.  Roof,  with  top  ventilators. 

d.  Central  stage. 

e.  Side  stages.  /.  Hot-water  pipes. 


CHRYSANTHEMUM   TIME 

a  wall.  The  hot-water  pipe  system  of  heating  is  favoured, 
as  heat  radiated  from  the  body  of  a  lamp  or  stove  is  too 
dry  and  local.  In  the  case  of  small  houses  an  upright 
boiler  can  be  let  in  the  front  of  the  house  and  fed  from 
the  outside.  Pipes  are  connected  at  the  back,  one  (the 
upper)  being  a  flow,  and  the  other  (the  lower)  a  return. 
They  should  rise  an 
inch  for  every  eight 
feet  from  the  boiler. 
They  may  go  down 
one  side  of  the  house 
only  if  cost  of  material 
has  to  be  studied  very 
closely,  and  if  only  a 
cool  house  is  required; 
but  it  is  better  to  take 
them  round  the  end 
and  down  the  other 
side,  there  connecting 
them  with  an  expan- 
sion cistern  through 
which  water  can  be 
poured  to  fill  the  pipes 
and  boiler  until  it 
stands  half-way  up  the  top  pipe.  Coke  will  serve  as  a 
fuel  if  it  is  broken  up  small,  but  not  otherwise.  Broken 
anthracite  coal  may  also  be  used.  Experience  will  soon 
teach  valuable  lessons  in  stoking,  particularly  in  respect 
to  banking  up  at  night,  and  so  keeping  the  fire  going 
until  morning.  Gas  and  oil  boilers  may  be  fitted  to 
pipes  if  required. 

Fruit 

The    principal    matter    in    connection    with   fruit   in 
November   is  that   of    planting.      All   kinds   of    hardy 
383 


Nov. 
1-15 


Fig.  gi.— Lean-to  Greenhouse — Section. 
a.   High  back  wall.  b.  Low  front  wall. 

c.  Front  woodwork  and  glass. 

d.  Roof  ventilator.  e.  Back  stages. 
/.  Front  stage,     g.  Hot- water  pipes,      h.  Path. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY    WEEK 

Nov.      fruits — Apples,  Blackberries,  Cherries,  Currants,   Dam- 
I"I5      sons,    Gooseberries,    Pears,    Plums,    Raspberries,    and 
Strawberries — may  be  planted  in  November.     All  the 
various    types    of    tree — bush,    cordon,    espalier,    fan, 
■^    .  pyramid,  and  standard — 

-^'"^-^ — J^^  can  be  put  in.  Every- 
thing considered,  Nov- 
ember is  the  best  month 
of  the  whole  year  for 
planting.  The  soil  is 
moist,  yet  not  sodden 
with  winter  rain.  It  re- 
tains some  of  its  summer 
warmth.  Other  work  is 
not  pressing,  and  there- 
fore the  planting  can  be 
done  with  due  delibera- 
tion and  care.  The 
nurseries  are  full  of  trees 
of  all  the  best  varieties, 
and  consequently  every 
buyer  can  get  what  he 
wants. 

The  selection  of  varie- 
ties and  the  methods  of 
planting  were  gone   into 
so    fully    in    Chapter    I., 
that  it  is  unnecessary  to  consider  them  in  detail  here. 
Vines  and  Peaches  may  also  be  planted  in  houses  in 
November.     Bands  of  grease-proof  paper  a  foot  wide 
may  be  tied  round  the  trunks  of  trees  and  smeared  with 
grease  to  catch  the  crawling  moths. 


Fig.  92.— Heating  with  Pipes  {p.  383). 

a.  Boiler. 

b.  Flow  and  return  pipes,  the  flow  pipe 

over  the  return  pipe. 

c.  Hot-water  pipes  in  front  of  house  also 

if  a  high  temperature  is  required,  not 
otherwise. 

d.  Valves. 
/.  Back  wall. 


e.  Air-pipes. 


384 


CHRYSANTHEMUM   TIME 


Vegetables 

Asparagus. — The  decayed  tops  may  now  be  removed, 
the  bed  cleared,  and  the  soil  dressed  with  wood-ashes  or 
short  manure.  If  any  is  to  be  forced,  three  or  four  year 
old  roots  ought  to  be  chosen,  and  packed  in  soil  over  a 
heap  of  manure  in  a  frame  or  pit. 

Broccoli. — If  the  plants  are  tall,  and  the  stems  sappy, 
they  are  liable  to  injury  in  hard  frosty  weather.  It  is  a 
good  plan  to  remove  some  soil  from  one  side  of  the  row, 
force  the  plants  over  until  they  lie  almost  horizontally, 
preferably  with  the  heads  facing  north,  and  throw  the 
soil  on  the  stems  the  other  side. 

Cabbages  for  Spring. — Hoe  between  the  roots  on  every 
favourable  opportunity,  in  order  to  encourage  steady, 
firm  growth. 

Cucumbers. — Late  Cucumbers  are  liable  to  attack  by 
red  spider  at  this  time  of  the  year.  The  paraffin  and 
soft-soap  emulsion  previously  recommended,*  used  hot, 
with  a  handful  of  sulphur  stirred  in  to  each  gallon,  is  a 
good  remedy.  Top-dress  the  plants  when  roots  show  at 
the  surface. 

Rhubarb. — Roots  for  forcing  may  be  taken  up  and 
left  exposed.     If  frozen  they  will  force  the  better. 

Seakale. — The  tops  of  Seakale  plants  will  have 
matured  by  now,  and  may  be  removed.  The  crowns 
can  be  taken  up,  and  the  roots  removed.  The  former 
can  be  forced  in  boxes  of  soil  over  a  hot  bed  (leaving  a 
clear  space  of  nine  or  ten  inches  for  the  tops  to  extend) ; 
the  latter  can  be  laid  in  a  heap,  covered  with  straw  and 
soil,  and  planted  in  spring. 

Salsify  and  Scorzonera. — These  roots  may  be  lifted 
and  stored  like  Beetroot.     (See  October.) 

385  2B 


Nov. 
1-15 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK  BY   WEEK 

Nov. 

16-30  NOVEMBER— Third  and  Fourth  Weeks 

Flowers 

Azaleas  ajid  Camellias. — Plants  grown  under  glass, 
whether  in  pots  or  planted  out,  often  give  trouble  (and 
particularly  Camellias)  by  casting  their  flower  buds. 
The  trouble  is  reduced  by  keeping  them  as  cool  as 
possible,  and  exercising  good  judgment  in  watering, 
neither  keeping  the  soil  sodden  nor  letting  it  remain 
dust  dry. 

Bouvardias. — Plants  grown  in  a  frame  during  the 
summer,  and  brought  into  a  heated  house  in  autumn, 
will  now  advance  into  bloom  if  given  a  temperature  of 
50°  to  60°.  Well-bloomed  plants  are  pretty  objects,  and 
the  flowers  are  charming  for  cutting. 

Carnations. — Plants  in  frames  ought  to  be  examined 
regularly  in  order  to  see  that  the  foliage  is  not  attacked 
by  "  spot."  The  plants  should  be  kept  as  dry  as  possible, 
and  ventilated  in  fine  weather.  If  any  leaves  become 
affected,  pick  them  off  at  once  and  burn  them.  Tree  and 
American  Carnations  may  be  in  bloom  in  warm  houses. 
They  will  enjoy  a  temperature  of  50°  to  60°,  and  a  pinch 
of  fertiliser  twice  a  week. 

Chrysanthemums. — In  order  to  keep  the  plants  in 
beauty  as  long  as  possible,  and  avoid  "damping"  of  the 
blooms,  they  should  be  watered  early  in  the  day,  venti- 
lated in  fine  but  not  foggy  weather,  and  have  a  tempera- 
ture as  near  45°  as  possible.  See  that  no  moisture 
is  spilled  about.  No  stimulants  need  be  given.  The 
basal  suckers  may  be  taken  off  when  three  inches  long, 
inserted  singly  in  small  pots,  and  put  under  a  handlight 
to  strike. 

Ferns. — These  graceful  plants  should  now  be  kept 
386 


CHRYSANTHEMUM   TIME 

cool  and  dry.     Very  little  water  will  be  needed  through- 
out the  winter. 

Pot  Roses. — The  plants  will  have  ripened  their  wood 
by  now,  but  as  flowers  will  be  more  valuable  later  on,  it 
is  better  to  plunge  the  pots  in  ashes  in  a  sheltered  corner 
of  the  garden  than  to 
put  them  in  a  warm 
house,  and  so  keep 
them  dormant  for  the 
present. 


Fruit 

Blackberries.  —  The 
fine  garden  forms  are 
much  superior  to  the 
common.  They  will 
grow  against  a  rustic 
fence  if  the  soil  is  deep 
and  rich  ;  but  as  they 
are  often  slow  in  start- 
ing, it  is  wise  to  cut 
them  back  close  to  the 
ground  after  planting, 
the  same  as  Rasp- 
berries. 

Figs. — The  young  wood  of  trees  in  the  open  may  be 
tied  in  bundles  as  a  protection  against  frost.  Indoor 
trees  may  have  the  old  wood  cut  out  and  the  new 
trained  in. 

Fruit  on  North  Walls. — Warm  south  walls  will  grow 

all  kinds  of  fruit,  but  there  is  often  a  doubt  as  to  the 

north  wall.     Morello  Cherries,  Gooseberries  as  cordons, 

Elruge  Nectarine,  Sea  Eagle  Peach,  and  Coe's  Golden 

387 


Nov. 
16-30 


Fig.  93.— Cutting  Back  Blackberries. 

a.  Old  branches  to  be  cut  back. 

b.  Small  straggly  ones  to  be  removed. 

c.  Strong  young  canes  not  to  be  cut  back. 
[Note. — At  planting  all  the  canes  may  be  cut 

back. ) 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK    BY   WEEK 

Nov.     Drop    and  Victoria  Plums  may  be  mentioned  as  fruits 
l6~30    which  will  succeed  on  north  walls. 

The  Loganberry . — This  useful  fruit  may  be  planted 
on  pillars  or  arches,  in  deep,  rich,  moist  soil.  It  is  a 
vigorous  grower  and  a  heavy  bearer  of  large  berries,  but 
the  flavour  is  poor. 

Planting. — All  kinds  of  fruit  trees  may  be  planted. 

Vegetables 

Artichokes. — Globe  Artichokes  may  now  be  shortened 
back,  the  soil  forked  up,  and  a  mulching  of  manure 
given.  Jerusalem  Artichokes  may  be  cut  back  also  after 
the  tops  have  matured,  but  the  tubers  may  be  left  in  the 
ground  until  they  are  wanted  for  use. 

Asparagus,  Rhubarb,  and  Sea  kale. — If  a  constant 
supply  is  wanted,  and  there  is  a  good  quantity  of  roots, 
some  may  be  put  into  heat  every  two  or  three  weeks 
throughout  the  winter. 

Digging  and  Trenching  Soil — As  ground  is  cleared  of 
crops,  it  may  be  taken  in  hand  and  dug  deeply,  or,  better 
still,  bastard-trenched  if  that  operation  was  not  per- 
formed the  previous  year.  By  taking  off  the  top  soil  a 
foot  in  depth,  digging  over  the  subsoil  another  foot  in 
depth,  and  laying  on  a  coat  of  manure  before  replacing 
the  top  soil,  the  ground  is  greatly  improved.  The  top 
should  be  left  lumpy,  as  the  weather  will  crumble  it 
gradually. 

Horse  Radish. — This  crop  becomes  a  mass  of  tangled, 
spreading  growth  if  left  alone,  and  it  is  best  to  take  it  up 
yearly,  storing  the  best  pieces  for  use,  and  replanting 
the  thin  thongs  in  fresh  ground  for  the  next  season's 
crop. 

Mushrooms. — If  a  winter  crop  is  wanted,  manure  may 
388 


CHRYSANTHEMUM   TIME 

be  collected,  but  it  ought  to  be  stored  in  a  dry  shed  at  Nov. 
this  time  of  year  until  enough  has  been  collected  to  form  16-30 
a  heap,  when  it  may  be  shaken  up  to  hasten  fermenta- 
tion, turned  two  or  three  times,  and  finally  pressed  down 
in  a  bed.  The  spawn  can  be  put  in  when  the  heat  has 
declined  to  85°.  Afterwards  the  bed  must  be  covered 
with  an  inch  of  moist  soil  and  a  foot  thick  coating  of 
straw. 

Radishes  and  Turnips. — Roots  can  be  protected 
against  the  effects  of  hard  weather  by  drawing  a  little 
soil  over  them. 


The  Garden  in  November— A  Resume  Nov. 

The  month  is  important  as  witnessing  the  flowering    Resume 
and  propagation  of  Chrysanthemums,  and  the  planting 
of  bulbs,  fruit  trees,  Roses,  and  trees  and  shrubs. 

Arum  Lilies,  Bouvardias,  and  bulbs  that  are  wished 
to  flower  early  may  be  given  a  temperature  of  50°  to  60°. 

Bulbs  of  all  kinds  may  be  put  into  beds,  pots,  vases 
and  glasses.  Biennials  and  Perennials  may  be  planted. 
Carnations  in  frames  should  be  examined  periodically, 
and  leaves  affected  with  spot  picked  off.  Tree  and 
American  Carnations  will  bloom  in  a  house  with  a  tem- 
perature of  50°  to  60°.  Azaleas  and  Camellias  should  be 
watered  with  care,  and  kept  cool,  to  prevent  the  buds 
falling. 

Chrysanthemums  should  be  watered  early  in  the  day, 
and  a  dry  air  maintained  by  warming  the  pipes  and  ven- 
tilating. Suckers  may  be  inserted  in  pots  for  next  year's 
plants. 

Fuchsias  may  be  dried  off  and  old  Zonal  Geraniums 
from  beds  pruned  and  stored.    Zonals  for  winter  flower- 
ing will  bloom  in  a  temperature  of  50°  to  60°.     Ferns 
389 


R&um6 


THE  GARDEN    WEEK   BY    WEEK 

Nov.  should  be  kept  cool  and  dry.  Herbaceous  borders  may 
be  trimmed  up,  the  soil  dug,  and  new  plants  and  bulbs 
put  in.  Greenhouses  may  be  put  up  and  heated.  Trees 
and  shrubs  may  be  planted. 

Roses  may  be  planted,  and  existing  plants  protected 
with  soil  and  bracken.  Pot  Roses  may  be  plunged  in 
ashes  out  of  doors. 

Fruit  trees  of  all  kinds  may  be  planted,  and  root 
pruning  done. 

Asparagus  beds  may  be  cleared,  and  forcing  started. 
Seakale  and  Rhubarb  may  be  forced  also.  Artichokes 
may  be  cut  back.  The  soil  between  Cabbages  should 
be  hoed.  Cucumbers  should  be  protected  against  red 
spider,  and  top-dressed.  Salsify  and  Scorzonera  may  be 
stored.  Horse  Radish  may  be  lifted.  Beds  may  be  pre- 
pared for  Mushrooms.  Digging  and  trenching  may 
proceed  as  ground  is  cleared  of  crops. 


390 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE  CHRISTMAS  GARDEN 

December  is  not  dreary  in  the  well-managed  garden,  Dec. 
but  it  is  sometimes  a  month  of  marking  time.  There 
can  be  no  dreariness  when  a  ramble  round  the  garden 
reveals  many  pleasant  and  interesting  sights  : — A  clump 
of  stainless  Christmas  Roses  in  full  beauty,  a  bright  little 
colony  of  hardy  Cyclamens,  a  glowing  patch  of  scarlet 
"  Winter  Gladiolus "  {Schizostylis  coccined) ;  when  the 
turned-back  fibre  reveals  plump,  green  crowns  on 
the  plunged  Hyacinths ;  when,  in  mild  spells,  flowers 
appear  on  the  Primroses,  the  Winter  Jasmine,  the  Winter 
Honeysuckle,  and  the  perfumed  Allspice  {Chimonanthus 
fragrans). 

There  is  cheerfulness,  too,  in  the  berries  of  the  ever- 
greens. Pleasure  is  derived  from  the  sight  of  neatly- 
dug  borders,  well-staked  trees,  securely-planted  Roses, 
fruit  and  shrubs,  smooth,  trim  lawns,  neatly-trained  trees 
on  pergolas,  walls,  and  vineries. 

All  this  is  possible  without  glass.  With  greenhouses 
there  will  be  the  delight  of  abundance  of  fragrant 
flowers:  Primulas,  Cyclamens,  Star  Cinerarias,  Zonal 
Geraniums,  Freesias,  Camellias,  and  many  other  beauti- 
ful things. 

The  no-glass  gardener  will  be  able  to  mark  time  if 

his  winter  work  is  "  forward  " — if  his  Roses,  trees,  and 

shrubs  are  planted,  his  beds  filled,  his  borders  trimmed 

up   and   dug,  his  pruning   completed,  and    the   vacant 

391 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Dec.  spaces  in  his  vegetable  garden  dug ;  but  the  chances 
are  that  if  he  has  any  leisure  he  will  find  many  jobs  to 
do — Uttle  embellishments  and  after-thoughts — attention 
to  which  will  improve  the  garden  and  provide  interest- 
ing occupation. 


Dec. 
I-I5 


DECEMBER— First  and  Second  Weeks 

Flowers 

Bulbs, — Early-flowering  bulbs  ought  to  be  coming  in 
now,  and  will  be  found  charming  for  tables.  If  there  is 
a  warm  greenhouse,  the  plants  will  grow  rapidly  and 
flower  freely.  Attention  to  water- 
ing will  be  well  repaid.  Be 
careful  that  later  bulbs  do  not 
remain  too  long  in  the  fibre. 
If  the  top  shoots  get  long  and 
weak,  the  flowering  is  affected 
adversely. 

Begonias.  —  Winter  Begonias 
will  be  in  full  growth  and  bloom 
where  a  temperature  of  50°  to 
60°  can  be  provided.  Watering 
will  be  necessary,  but  water 
should  not  be  carelessly  spilled 
about  at  this  time  of  year,  or 
given  at  regular  intervals,  irre- 
spective of  the  state  of  the  soil. 
Make  sure  that  it  is  nearly  dry 
before  giving  water. 

Cactuses. — These    quaint   but 

brightly  -  coloured     plants     are 

mostly  at   rest    in   winter,    but    there    is    one    notable 

exception,  the  Epiphyllum,  which,  although  nominally 

392 


Fig.  94.— Grafting 
Epiphyllums. 
a.  Graft.  b.  Stock. 

c.  Graft    duly   fixed    in    the 

stock,  and  made  secure. 


THE   CHRISTMAS   GARDEN 

a  summer  bloomer,  may  produce  its  brilliant  magenta 
rose  flowers  at  the  ends  of  the  curious,  drooping,  jointed 
leaves  at  mid-winter,  and  hold  them  several  weeks,  even 
in  a  living-room.  The  best  known  species  is  Trun- 
catum,  and  there  are  several  varieties  of  it  with  different- 
coloured  flowers.  Nurserymen  propagate  this  interesting 
and  beautiful  plant  by  grafting  it  on  to  the  Pereskia,  and 
grow  it  in  a  compost  of  loam,  leaf  mould  (one-third), 
and  sand,  Cereuses  and  Phyllocactuses  have  brilliant 
flowers  also,  both  being  much  larger  than  the  Epiphyl- 
lum.  Grandiflorus  is  one  of  the  best-known  species  of 
Cereus  ;  it  has  huge  white  flowers,  which  open  at  night. 
Macdonaldiae  and  Nycticalus  are  also  night  bloomers. 
Fulgidus  and  Speciosissimus  are  brilliant 
species,  and  flower  in  early  summer. 
Flagelliformis  (Rat-tail  Cactus)  is  a 
popular  species,  and  bears  pink  flowers 
in  early  summer.  It  is  often  grown  in 
a  basket.  We  get  very  quaint  growth  in 
the  Opuntias  and  Mammillarias.  Some 
of  these  are  covered  with  prickles,  others 
with  silvery  hairs.  Loam  and  shattered 
brick  suit  the  majority,  and  they  need 
practically  no  water  throughout  the 
winter.  The  Phyllocactuses  are  among 
the  most  brilliant  of  all.  There  are  many 
lovely  hybrids  and  varieties,  notably 
Brilliant,  scarlet;  Cooperi,  white;  Epirus, 
pink;  and  J.  T.  Peacock  Improved,  crim- 
son. These  should  be  kept  dry  in  winter. 
They  will  bloom  in  summer. 

Camellias. — There  are  no  more  beautiful 
winter-blooming  cool-house  plants  than  the  Camellias, 
and  the  amateur  who  has  no  plants  might  buy  a  few  good 
393 


Dec. 
I-I5 


Fig.  95.— Repotting 
Camellias. 

a.  Old  ball  of  soil  and 
roots. 

b.  Drainage. 

c.  Space  for  new  com- 
post, which  should 
be  made  firm. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY    WEEK 

Dec.  varieties  ready  for  blooming  now.  The  following  are 
I-15  beautiful  sorts  :  Alba  Plena,  white ;  Contessa  Lavinia 
Maggi,  white,  carmine  stripes  ;  C.  H.  Hovey,  crimson ; 
Beauty  of  Waltham,  blush ;  and  Reine  des  Beaut^s, 
rose.  There  is  also  a  splendid  semi-double,  with  crimson 
and  white  flowers,  called  Donckelaari.  A  temperature 
of  45°  is  ample,  and  water  should  only  be  given  when 
the  soil  gets  nearly  dry.  A  high  temperature  and  sodden 
soil  bring  the  buds  off.  Camellias  are  often  planted  out 
in  large  houses,  and  when  the  large,  brilliant  flowers 
stud  the  lustrous  green  foliage  they  are  extremely  beauti- 
ful ;  but  they  may  be  grown  in  pots  successfully  with 
care  in  watering.  If  the  pots  get  packed  with  roots,  the 
plants  should  be  repotted,  but  not  otherwise.  The  best 
time  for  repotting  is  directly  the  buds  are  set.  Equal 
parts  of  loam  and  peat,  with  sand,  form  a  suitable  compost. 
Chrysanthemtims. — Now  is  a  good  time  to  order 
cuttings  or  young  plants  for  next  year's  blooming. 
The  following  are  good  varieties  : 

Japanese  Chrysanthemums  for  Exhibition 

Brilliant,  amaranth  Master    David,   crimson,   yellow 
Florence    Penford,    primrose,  reverse 

chrome  reverse  Melchett     Beauty,    yellow,    rose 
F.  W.  Lever,  cream  flakes 

Henry  Perkins,  yellow,  chestnut  Mr.  F.  S.  Vallis,  yellow 

flakes  Miss  Mildred  Ware,  bronze 

J.   H.   Silsbury,  crimson,  yellow  Mrs.  A.  H.  Lee,  crimson 

reverse  Mrs,  A.  T.  Miller,  white 

John  Peed,  white,  pink  edge  Mrs.  Barkley,  rosy  mauve 

Lady  Hopetoun,  blush  Mrs.  F.  W.  Vallis,  crimson 

Leigh  Park  Wonder,  crimson  Mrs.   G.    Mileham,   rose,  silvery 
Madame  G.  Rivol,  yellow,  shaded        reverse 

rose  President  Viger,  lilac 

Madame    Paolo    Radaelli,   ivory  Rev.   R.  D.   Eves,  white,  tinted 

or  pale  pink  pink 

Magnificent,  crimson,  yellow  re-  Splendour,  bronze 

verse  Valerie  Greenham,  lilac 
394 


THE   CHRISTMAS   GARDEN 

The  following  Japanese  varieties  are  free  bloomers,      Dec. 
and  will  prove  useful  for  conservatory  decoration,  and      l-^S 
for  cut  bloom.      They  comprise  early  as  well  as  late 
bloomers  : 


Useful  Japanese 
Altman's  Yellow 
Framfield  Yellow 
Heston  White 
Kathleen  Thompson,  brown 
Madame  F.  Perrin,  pink 
Market  Gold,  late  yellow 
Money  Maker,  white 
N.  C.  S.  Jubilee,  lavender 


Varieties  for  Amateurs 

Niveus,  late  white 

October  Crimson 

Soleil   d'Octobre,   mid-season 

yellow 
Source  d'Or,  orange 
Viviand  Morel,  pink 
Winter  Cheer,  late  amaranth 
W.  H.  Lincoln,  late  yellow 


Incurved  Varieties  for  Exhibitioti 


A.  H.  Hall,  purple 
Buttercup,  yellow 
Duchess  of  Fife,  white  and  lilac 
Embl^me  Poitevine,  yellow 
Godfrey's  Reliance,  chestnut 
Lady  Isabel,  lavender 
Ladywell,  lilac 


Mrs.  Barnard  Hankey,  mahogany 
Mrs.  F.  Judson,  white 
Mrs.  G.  Denyers,  pale  pink 
Triomphe  de  Montbrun,  crimson 

and  buff 
W.  Biddle,  lemon 


Good  Double  Garden   Varieties 


Carrie,  yellow 

Claret,  dark  red 

Firefly,  red 

Freedom,  purplish  rose 

Guinea  Gold,  light  yellow 

Horace  Martin,  yellow 

Le  Cygne,  late  white 


Lillie,  pink 

Maxim,  chestnut 

Minnie  Carpenter,  terra-cotta 

Nina  Blick,  bronzy  red 

Rabbie  Burns,  salmon  pink 

Ryecroft  Glory,  yellow 

White  Quintus,  white 


Beautiful  Single   Varieties 


Altrincham  Yellow 
Bronze  Edith  Pagram,  late 
Crimson  Queen,  late  red 
Distinction,  early  rosy  cerise 
Dolly  Iniff,  early  red 


Gem  of  Merstham,  early  crimson 
Glady  Hemsley,  late  pink 
Good  Hope,  early  rose 
Ladysmith,  pink 
Mrs.  Gwynn  Powell,  late  blush 


Florence  Gillham,  early  white        Sandown  Radiance,  crimson 
395 


THE   GARDEN    WEEK    BY   WEEK 

Dec.  The   early  singles  may  be  grown    out   of   doors   if 

I~I5      desired  ;  the  late  varieties  had  better  be  grown  in  pots. 
The  following  are  pretty  Chrysanthemums  belonging 
to  minor  sections  : 

Dr.  Sharp,  magenta  reflexed  Mdlle.  Elise  Dordan,  pink  pom- 

Lady  Margaret,  white  Anemone-       pon 
flowered  William  Westlake,  yellow  pompon 

Rhododendrons  and  other  Evergreen  Shrubs. — Continue 
the  planting  of  shrubs  selected  from  the  lists  given  in 
the  preceding  chapter.  Rhododendrons,  the  most  beauti- 
ful of  the  hardy  shrubs,  are  generally  planted  in  spring, 
but  may  be  planted  now.  The  following  are  a  few  good 
varieties  :  John  Waterer,  crimson.  Lady  C.  Mitford, 
peach  ;  Old  Port,  purple  ;  Pink  Pearl,  pink  ;  and  Sappho, 
marone  and  white. 

Zonal  Geraniums. — A  temperature  of  55°  will  suit 
these  beautiful  winter  flowers.  When  the  plants  lose 
their  first  blossoms  they  may  be  pinched  back  so  as  to 
get  new  growth,  and  fresh  flowers  will  be  produced. 
The  following  are  good  varieties  :  Wordsworth,  orange  ; 
Gertrude  Pearson,  pink  ;  Hall  Caine,  rose ;  Eucharis, 
white  ;  Colossus,  double  crimson ;  Rosa  Bonheur, 
double  pink ;  Pierre  Loti,  double  rose  ;  King  of  Den- 
mark, double  salmon  ;  and  Hermione,  double  white. 

Lilies  of  the  Valley. — The  forcing  of  prepared  crowns 
of  the  Fortin,  Victoria,  or  other  good  variety  may  con- 
tinue.    Clumps  may  be  potted  for  later  flowering. 

Marguerites.  —  The  useful  white  and  yellow  Mar- 
guerites may  be  had  in  flower  during  winter  if  a  tem- 
perature of  50°  can  be  provided.  They  will  not  require 
much  water  ;  indeed,  it  will  suffice  if  the  soil  is  prevented 
from  becoming  quite  dry. 

Poinsettias — We  have  seen  how  these  brilliant  plants 
396 


'    V 

'/  • 

't^ 

♦  '  ■ 

-A. 

"^ 

^^■^  /-i 

.    '^*'- 

• 

/•' 

g 

• 

H 

.  2 


THE   CHRISTMAS   GARDEN 

are  propagated  and  grown  for  winter  decoration.  They 
will  expand  their  glowing  bracts  if  put  in  a  warm  house. 
They  must  not  be  over-watered  ;  it  will  suffice  if  the  soil 
is  prevented  from  becoming  quite  dry. 

Roses. — The  planting  of  all  kinds  of  Roses,  in  soil 
prepared  as  advised  in  the  last  chapter,  may  continue 
Those  who  have  space  may  provide  a  beautiful  feature  in 
the  form  of  a  Rose  garden,  the  beds  in  which  are  ar- 
ranged round  a  central  object, 
such  as  an  arbour,  and  each 
filled  with  one  variety.  Arches 
would  span  the  entrance  to  each 
path,  and  the  whole  garden  might 
be  surrounded  by  a  trellis  covered 
with  Roses. 

Spiraea  Japonica. — Clumps  of 
this  useful  plant  may  be  potted 
now  for  blooming  in  spring. 
If  covered  with  an  inch  of  soil, 
there  will  be  no  need  to  plunge 
them. 

Fruit 


If  whatever  planting  has  to  be 
done  was  not  completed  in  Nov- 
ember, it  ought  to  be  finished 
early  in  December,  because  pro-  (i 
longed  bad  weather  may  come  at 
any  time,  and  prevent  the  com-  .^ 
pletion  of  the  work. 

Pruning. — The  pruning  of  the 
various    kinds    of    hardy    fruits 
may   be    dealt   with    now.      Those 
mer-pruned  will  have  short  shoots, 
397 


Dec. 
I-I5 


Fig.  96. — Pruning  Vines. 

).  a. — How  to  cut  back  a 
young  vine,  leaving  a 
leading  bud  and  two 
side  buds  at  b. 

).  Shows  how  to  prune  an 
older  vine  :  a.  the  buds 
to  prune  to ;  b.  where 
the  side  branch  should 
be  cut  off. 

which    were    sum- 
which  may  be  cut 


THE   GARDEN    WEEK   BY    WEEK 

Dec.  back  close  to  a  bud  near  the  base.  Young  fruit  trees 
^~^5  which  were  planted  recently  ought  to  be  cut  hard  back. 
The  main  branches  of  established  trees  ought  not  to  be 
cut  in  severely,  but  the  side  shoots  may  be  pruned  back. 
These  remarks  apply  to  Apples,  Pears,  Plums,  Damsons, 
Currants,  and  Gooseberries.  Cherries  need  very  little 
pruning.  As  the  details  of  pruning  were  given  in 
Chapter  I.,  it  is  unnecessary  to  repeat  them  here. 

Grapes. — Those  who  force  Grapes 
for  early  crops,  and  want  them  ripe 
by  the  end  of  May,  must  start  the  Vines 
soon.  They  will  have  been  well  ripened, 
rested,  and  pruned.  Few  growers, 
however,  except  in  large  establishments, 
force  Grapes  so  soon.  The  amateur 
who  grows  them  in  a  small  vinery,  or 
possibly  on  the  roof  of  his  conservatory, 
will  be  in  the  position  of  having  the 
Vines  completely  at  rest  now,  and  his 
course  is  to  prune  them  and  clean 
them.  The  laterals  which  have  borne 
fruit  should  be  cut  back,  and  if  a  plump 
bud  can  be  found  close  to  the  main 
rod,  prune  to  that.  The  closer  the 
laterals  can  be  pruned  in  annually  the 
better,  because  long  gnarled  stumps, 
which  harbour  insects,  are  avoided. 
Still,  it  is  no  use  pruning  to  a  weak,  thin  bud ;  rather 
than  this,  leave  a  short  stump.  Where  the  rods  are  old 
and  worn  take  up  a  new  one  (Fig.  97). 


Fig.    97.— Taking    up 
Fresh  Vine  Rods. 

a.  Old  vine  rod. 

b.  Old  spurs. 

c.  New  rod   to   replace 

old  one. 


398 


THE   CHRISTMAS   GARDEN 


Vegetables  Dec. 

Asparagus,  Rhubarb,  and  Seakale.—Coriimyx^  the 
forcing  of  these  vegetables  in  accordance  with  previous 
instructions. 

Cauliflowers.— \i  there  are  any  Cauliflowers  still 
unused,  it  would  be  well  to  lift  them  and  lay  them  in 
a  cool  shed,  otherwise  they  might  be  spoiled  by  hard 

frost. 

Endive.— \i  there  is  any  Endive  of  full  size,  it  will 
come  in  very  useful  for  salads  if  blanched.  Large  empty 
flower  pots  inverted  over  the  plants  will  serve  to  blanch 

them. 

Lettuces  in  Frames.— Y onng  plants  that  are  being 
grown  in  frames  for  winter  salads  should  be  ventilated 
in  fine  weather,  and  protected  with  mats  or  straw  during 

frost. 

Manuring  Ground.— T^ikt  the  first  opportunity  of 
frost  to  cart  and  wheel  manure,  or  to  do  any  other 
work  of  transportation  that  may  be  necessary.  Stable 
manure  is  always  useful  in  a  garden,  and  a  heap  of 
it  accumulated  now  will  steadily  decay  and  come  in 
useful  later  on  if  not  required  at  present.  Two  barrow- 
loads  of  manure  per  square  rod  of  ground  (three  if  the 
ground  is  poor)  is  a  fair  allowance,  and,  as  stated  in 
the  November  chapter,  it  is  best  worked  in  below  the 
surface  in  the  process  of  bastard-trenching,  thus  deepen- 
ing and  enriching  the  soil  at  one  operation.  Among 
chemical  manures,  kainit  and  basic  slag  may  be  indi- 
cated as  potash  and  phosphoric  acid  yielders  respec- 
tively which  may  be  dug  in  now.  A  quarter  of  a 
pound  of  each  to  the  square  yard  may  be  used,  and  it 
is  advantageous  to  turn  them  well  below  the  surface. 
399 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY    WEEK 

Dec.  Coal-ashes  may  be  dug  into  stiff  land  in  order  to  help 
^~^5  to  break  it  up,  but  not  where  Potatoes  and  Carrots  are 
to  be  grown.  Mortar  rubbish  from  an  old  building, 
burnt  garden  refuse,  and  road  sweepings  are  also  useful. 
Lime  may  be  used  at  the  rate  of  two  pounds  per  square 
yard  if  the  soil  is  very  rich  ;  such  an  application  will 
be  better  than  more  manure.  Gas  lime  should  never 
be  used  except  on  a  fallow.  It  should  be  left  a  month  on 
the  surface  of  the  soil,  and  another  month  should  elapse 
before  cropping  the  ground.  Under  these  conditions, 
a  pound  per  square  yard  may  be  used,  and  it  will  help 
to  reduce  wireworms  and  other  ground  pests.  Soot 
at  the  rate  of  a  pound  per  square  yard  is  a  good 
fertiliser. 

Dec.  DECEMBER— Third  and  Fourth  Weeks 

16-31 

Flowers 

Most  of  the  work  indicated  for  the  first  half  of  the 
month  will  be  appropriate.  Bulbs  may  be  brought  on. 
Lilies  of  the  Valley  may  be  forced.  Roses,  climbers 
generally,  trees,  and  shrubs  may  be  planted.  There  will 
be  a  supply  of  Violets  from  the  frame  beds,  probably, 
and  a  little  fertiliser  may  be  sprinkled  between  the  rows. 
Roses  in  pots  may  be  put  into  a  cool  house  to  start  them 
gently  into  growth. 

Azaleas. — The  pretty  Indian  Azaleas  are  very  useful 
for  winter  bloom  in  the  greenhouse  or  conservatory. 
The  colours  are  bright,  and  the  flowers  last  well. 
Nurserymen  prepare  them  for  winter-blooming,  gene- 
rally as  low  standards,  so  that  they  can  be  arranged 
effectively  among  other  plants,  and  sell  them  well  set 
with  buds.  The  plants  do  not  cost  much,  and  a  few 
might  well  be  bought.  The  following  are  beautiful 
400 


THE   CHRISTMAS   GARDEN 

varieties  :  Professor  Wolters,  blush  with  carmine  blotch  ; 
Fielder's  White  ;  L.  van  Houtte,  white  and  rose ;  Reine 
des  Fleurs,  salmon ;  Bernard  Andr6,  double  purple ; 
Deutsche  Perle,  double  white  ;  Simon  Mardner,  crim- 
son ;  Raphael,  double  white ;  and  President  O.  de  H. 
Kerchove,  double  salmon  pink.  Deutsche  Perle  is  par- 
ticularly useful,  as  it  is  a  very  early  bloomer,  and  the 
flowers  are  large  and  pure. 

Flowers  for  Christmas. — There  will  be  a  natural  desire 
to  have  a  supply  of  flowers 
for  Christmas,  and  with  a 
warm  greenhouse  at  com- 
mand, and  such  plants  as 
Roman  Hyacinths,  Paper 
White  and  Double  Roman 
Narcissi,  Freesias,  Cycla- 
mens, Arum  Lilies,  Violets, 
Azaleas,  Camellias,  Lilies 
of  the  Valley,  Cinerarias, 
Christmas  Roses,  Primulas, 
Zonal  Geraniums,  and  Van 
Thol  Tulips,  either  in  or 
approaching  bloom  at  mid- 
December,  and  with  late 
varieties  of  Chrysanthe- 
mums, there  ought  not  to 
be  any  lack. 

Pruning  Evergreens. — 
The  festive  season  is  often 
the  occasion  for  pruning  evergreens.  The  plants  should 
be  cut  with  a  knife,  not  with  shears,  and  with  such  judg- 
ment as  precludes  the  exposure  of  bare  stumps.  With  a 
little  care  several  armfuls  of  shoots  can  be  cut  from 
Laurels,  Hollies,  Aucubas,  and  other  evergreens,  without 
401  2C 


Dec. 
16-31 


Fig.  98.— Pruning  Evergreens. 

a.  Young  branch  not  to  be  cut. 

b.  Branches  to  be  cut. 

c.  Old  flowering  branch  to  be  removed. 


THE   GARDEN   WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Dec.      the  work  of  the  knife  being  visible,  or  the  shape  of  the 
16-31     bushes  spoiled. 

Dielytra  Spectabilis  {Lyre  Flower). — This  is  a  pretty, 

graceful  plant,  and  roots  may  be  potted  for  flowering  in 

spring.     Bulb  soil  suits  them  well. 


Hedges,  Lawns,  and  Paths 

Mid-December   is   a  good  time  for  planting  Privet, 
.     _„  Quick,    Beech,    Horn- 

^■^  ^fe  beam.  Laurels  or  Myro- 

balan  (Myrobella), 
Plum,  to  form  hedges. 
The  first  is  the  best  for 


always,  holds  its  leaves 
throughout  the  winter. 
Put  in  young  plants 
nine  inches  apart,  and 
cut  them  back  to  the 
same  height  from  the 
ground,  then  they  will 
break  well  from  the 
base,  and  make  a  bushy 
mass  near  the  ground. 
The  Lawn  will  no 
longer  require  mowing, 
but  an  occasional  roll- 
ing will  do  good. 
Ground  may  be  dug, 
cleaned,  levelled,  and 
laid  with  turf  to  make  new  lawns.     The  turves  must  be 

well  beaten  down. 

402 


Fig.  99.— Planting  Hedges. 

a.  Turves  facing  the  slightly-raised  bank. 

b.  Soil  taken  from  c. 

d.  Ordinary  ground  level. 
e.  Young  Thorn. 

f.  Young  Thorn  cut  back. 

g.  Plants  inserted  in  a  double  line. 


THE    CHRISTMAS   GARDEN 

Any  Path-making  that  is  required  may  be  done  now,      Dec. 
and  the  materials  needed  should  be  carted  in  while  the     16-31 
ground  is  hard  with  frost,  to  avoid  cutting  up  the  surface. 
Particulars  were  given  in  a  previous  chapter. 


Fruit 

Big  Bud  on  Black  Currants. — If  some  of  the  buds  on 
Black  Currants  become  swollen  into  small  balls,  they 
contain  a  mite,  which  is 
very  destructive,  and  often 
ruins  the  bushes.  The 
swollen  buds  should  be 
picked  off,  and  next  spring 
the  bushes  may  be  dusted 
with  two  parts  of  sulphur 
and  one  part  of  air-slaked 
lime  on  three  separate 
occaisions :  the  end  of 
March,  the  middle  of 
April,  and  the  beginning 
of  May. 

Canker. — If    fruit    trees 
are  affected  with  canker, 
cleanse  the  decayed  wood 
out    of    the     wounds,    if 
these  are  not  very  large, 
and  paint   with    tar.      At 
the  same  time  spread  the 
following   mixture  round 
the  trees  at  the  rate  of   four  ounces   per  square  yard 
as  far  as  the  branches  extend  :  twelve  parts  of  super- 
phosphate, ten  of  nitrate  of  potash,  eight  of  sulphate  of 
lime,  one  of  sulphate  of  iron,  and  four  of  common  salt. 
403 


Fig.  100— Big  Bud  on  Black  Currant. 
a.   Big  buds.  b.  Normal  buds. 


Big  buds. 


d.  A  big  bud. 


THE   GARDEN    WEEK   BY   WEEK 

Dec.  Grapes  and  Peaches.  —  Complete    the    pruning    and 

10-31  washing  of  Vines  and  the  cleansing  of  vineries.  Tie  in 
any  loose  young  wood  on  Peaches,  prune  out  old 
growths,  and  cleanse  the  house. 

Planting  and  Pruning  Hardy  Fruit. — The  planting 
and  pruning  of  Apples,  Pears,  Plums,  and  small  bush 
fruits  should  be  completed  as  soon  as  possible,  in 
accordance  with  previous  instructions. 

Fruit  in  Store. — Look  over  stored  fruit  periodically, 
remove  any  that  shows  the  least  sign  of  decay,  and 
hasten  the  ripening  of  Apples  and  Pears  by  placing  a 
few  at  a  time  of  the  most  forward  in  a  warm  room. 

A  Winter  Wash  for  Fruit  Trees. — Where  American 
Blight,  scale,  moss,  and  lichen  are  a  source  of  trouble, 
spray  the  trees  with  the  **  Woburn  Wash,"  which  is  made 
of  the  following  ingredients  : 

1  lb.  sulphate  of  copper  (blue  stone) 
S    „    quicklime 

2  „    caustic  soda 
5  pints  paraffin  oil 
9.}  gallons  water 

Dissolve  the  sulphate  in  a  little  water  in  a  wooden 
vessel ;  put  the  lime  in  a  gallon  of  water  in  another 
vessel,  and  let  it  stand  a  few  hours ;  pour  the  two 
together  through  a  piece  of  sacking  ;  add  the  paraffin  oil 
and  water,  and  shake  in  the  caustic  soda.  Apply  in  a 
fine,  mist-like  state  through  a  sprayer. 


Vegetables 

There  is  little  fresh  work  to  be  done.     Continue  the 

forcing  of  Asparagus,  Seakale,  and  Rhubarb.     If  early 

Mint  is  wanted,  lift  a  few  roots,  put  them  in  soil  in  boxes, 

and  place  the  latter  in  a  frame  or  greenhouse.      Hoe 

404 


THE   CHRISTMAS   GARDEN 

Cabbages.  Lay  Broccoli  in  cold  districts.  Protect  Dec. 
Celery  by  throwing  some  litter  over  the  tops.  Sow  seed  io~3i 
of  Tomatoes  in  a  temperature  of  60°  for  early  crops. 
Sow  French  Beans  in  large  pots  or  boxes  if  a  temperature 
of  65°  can  be  provided.  Sow  Cucumbers  in  bottom 
heat  if  early  crops  are  wanted.  Lift  roots  of  Parsley,  and 
put  in  a  frame  if  early  growth  is  required.  Examine 
Potatoes  in  store,  and  throw  out  any  diseased  tubers. 
Continue  preparing  ground  by  digging,  trenching,  and 
manuring  as  it  becomes  vacant. 


The  Garden  in  December— A  Resume  Dec. 

There  will  be  a  few  outdoor  flowers  in  December  if   R6sum6 
winter-blooming  plants  have  been  put  in.      In  heated 
houses  there  will  be  a  plentiful  supply  if  previous  advice 
has  been  followed. 

The  planting  of  bulbs,  Roses,  trees,  and  shrubs  ought 
to  be  completed  as  early  as  possible.  Evergreens  may 
be  pruned  to  yield  material  for  the  festive  season. 

Hedges  may  be  planted,  lawns  made  by  levelling  the 
ground  and  laying  turf,  and  paths  made.  All  heavy 
carting  and  wheeling  should  be  done  in  frosty  weather 
if  possible,  in  order  to  avoid  cutting  up  the  ground. 
The  worst  time  for  carting  is  during  a  thaw,  as  the  road 
material  "picks  up"  on  the  wheels. 

The  planting  and  pruning  of  fruit  trees  should  be 
completed.  Late  Vines  and  Peaches  may  be  pruned, 
and  the  houses  cleaned.  Fruit  trees  attacked  by  canker 
should  be  cleaned  and  fed.  If  American  Blight,  scale, 
moss,  or  lichen  is  troublesome  the  trees  may  be  sprayed 
with  Woburn  Wash. 

The  forcing  of  Asparagus,  Seakale,  and  Rhubarb  may 
405 


R6sume 


THE    GARDEN    WEEK    BY    WEEK 

Dec.  continue.  Artichokes  may  be  cut  down.  Endive  that  is 
large  enough  may  be  blanched.  Late  Cauliflowers  may 
be  stored  in  a  shed.  Cabbages  should  be  hoed,  and 
Broccoli  bent  over.  Early  Cucumbers  and  Tomatoes 
may  be  sown.  French  Beans  may  be  sown  also.  Celery 
should  be  protected  and  store  Potatoes  examined. 
Vacant  ground  should  be  dug,  trenched,  and  manured. 
Rubbish  should  be  burned. 

A  Last  Look  Round 

The  Christmas  holidays  afford  an  opportunity  for  a 
general  retrospect  of  the  garden  during  the  year  :  its 
work,  its  pleasure,  its  disappointments,  and  its  rewards. 
The  happiness  that  arose  out  of  past  successes  is  felt 
again,  the  sadness  that  springs  from  failure  is  remem- 
bered only  as  a  warning.  Errors  made  in  the  past  are 
errors  avoided  in  the  future,  if  they  are  viewed  in  the 
right  light — that  is,  as  salutary  lessons. 

We  look  back  on  summer  days  spent  under  our  own 
^Vine  and  Fig  trees."  We  see  concrete  examples  of 
good  work  done  in  the  form  of  arches.  Rose  gardens,  and 
shrubberies,  all  half-hidden  now,  perhaps,  under  a  mantle 
of  snow,  but  full  of  life  and  meaning  to  us,  their  makers. 

We  see  the  flowers  in  our  greenhouses,  the  fruit  trees 
on  our  walls,  the  vegetables  in  our  stores.  We  feel  the 
glow  of  health  on  our  faces. 

We  take  a  last  look  round  before  drawing  the  curtains 
and  turning  to  the  Christmas  fire. 

And  we  say  :  Gardening  is  good  for  us,  body  and 
soul. 


406 


INDEX 


Abutilons  for  pillars,  75 

Achimenes  for  baskets,  74 

American  blight,  257 

Anemones,  358 

Annuals,  in  herbaceous  borders,  116  ; 
half-hardy,  119,  187;  hardy,  174; 
improving,  291 

Apples,  pruning  {illustrated),  28,  29, 
30 ;  select,  83  ;  thinning  {illtcs- 
trated),  266  ;  scab,  280  ;  gathering 
[illustrated),  31S 

Apricots,  pruning,  32 

Arabis,  propagating,  288 

Artichokes,  globe,  91 

Arum  lilies,  good,  50  ;  planting,  215  ; 
lifting  (illustrated),  335  ;  at  Christ- 
mas, 374 

Asparagus,  early,  39 ;  planting,  186  ; 
cutting,  208,  267  ;  manuring,  310. 

38s 
Aspidistras,  96  ;  propagating,  189 
Asters,  annual,  16 
Auriculas,  313 
Azaleas,  386:  select,  400 

B 

Beans  (see  also  Scarlet  Runners), 
dwarf  French,  41, 140,  194;  broad, 
140,  258 

Bedding  plants,  132,  209;  propagat- 
ing, 314 

Beetroot,  sowing,  194,  208  ;  storing 
(illustrated),  356 

Begonias,  tuberous,  22,  131,  188; 
Gloire  de  Lorraine,  176;  fibrous- 
rooted,  260;  winter,  336;  lifting 
tuberous  (illustrated),  347  ^ 

Biennials,  229 

Birds,  64,  294 

Blackberries  (illustrated),  386 

Bordeaux  mixture,  87 


Borecole,  Broccoli,  and  Brussels 
sprouts,  156,  194,  258,  319,  340 

Bouvardias,  203 

Bulbs,  tubers,  and  other  roots,  19  ;  in 
pots,  27  ;  after  flowering,  152  ;  the 
best,  357  ;  for  pots  and  vases,  358  ; 
planting  in  the  s,a.\den  (illustrated), 

360  ;  in  vases  of  fibre  (illustrated), 

361  ;  for  window  boxes,  368 


Cabbages  for  spring,  106,  138,  296, 
311,319,340 

Cactuses  (illustrated),  392 

Calceolarias,  sowing,  276;  young, 
303;  potting,  315;  propagating 
bedding,  347 

Calochortus,  the,  358 

Camellias,  393  ;  repotting  (illus- 
trated), 393 

Canker,  403 

Ca.rma.s  (illustrated),  68;  Hfting,  349 

Carnations,  winter  blooming,  47  ; 
propagating  (illustrated),  48 ;  plant- 
ing, 127,  select,  128;  Marguerite, 
151 ;  staking,  214;  enemies  of,  214, 
386  ;  layering  (illustrated),  264 ; 
propagating  Malmaison,  264;  stak- 
ing (illustrated),  277  ;  propagating, 
286  ;  potting,  327 

Carrots,  14 1,  157,  260  ;  storing  (illus- 
trated), 356 

Cauliflowers,  58,  194,281,311,320, 
341 

Celery,  157,  217,  257,  26S,  2S1  ;  tying 
and  earthing  (illustrated),  311,  320, 
341 

Cherries,  pruning  (illustrated),  32, 
33  ;  select,  84 ;  aphis,  280 

Chicory,  158 

Christmas  flowers,  401 

Christmas  roses,  93,  338 


407 


INDEX 


Chrysanthemums,  young,  50  ;  cutting 
of  {illustrated),  51  ;  for  borders, 
143;  planting,  203;  select  early,  204; 
potting,  255 ;  prize,  261  ;  crown 
buds  {illustrated),  289,  302,  315  ; 
terminals  {illustrated),  328  ;  bush, 

336  ;  disbudding  bush  {illustrated), 

337  ;  housing  and  grouping  {illus- 
trated), 348 ;  silections  of,  394, 
395.  396 

Cmeranas,  25,  176,  255,  292,  349 

Climbers,  180 

Clivias,  95 

Coleuses,  202 

Colewort,  258 

Conifers,  381 

Corn  salad,  320 

Crocuses,  359 

Crown  imperials,  359 

Crotons,  190 

Cucumbers,  59,   158,   194,  320,  341  ; 

in  frames  {illustrated),  259 
Currants,    pruning    {illustrated),    34, 

35  ;  select,  85  ;    summer  pruning, 

293.  307 ;  big  bud  on  {illustrated), 

403 
Cyclamens,  215,315 


Daffodils,  lifting  and  dividing,  291  ; 
in  boxes  {illustrated),  216  ;  potting, 
316;  planting  in  grass  {illustrated), 
359  ;  select,  361 

Dahlias,  propagating  {illustrated), 
120  ;  select,  204  ;  planting,  255  ; 
staking  {illustrated),  305  ;  in  bloom, 
329  ;  lifting  {illustrated),  349 

Damsons,  pruning,  38 

Dracaenas,  190 ;  striking  tops  (illus- 
trated), 330 


Edging  plant,  a  pretty,  97 

Egg  plants.  Capsicums,  and  Chilies, 

158 
Endive,  158,  312 
Epiphyllums,    grafting    {illustrated), 

392 
Eucharises,  95 
Evergreens,     pruning     {illustrated). 

401 


Ferns,  133,  277 

Figs,  103,  308,  331 

Flowers,  principal  kinds  raised  from 
seed,  10 ;  hardy  from  seed,  230  ; 
gathering,  274 

Freesias  {illustrated),  303,  316 

Frost  and  its  effects,  66 

Fruit,  pruning,  27 ;  root  pruning 
{illustrated),  31,  355 ;  fan  trees 
{illustratea),  32,  33  ;  trained,  54  ; 
espalier  {illustrated),  56  ;  spraying, 
65,  207 ;  planting,  80 ;  staking 
{illustrated),  82  ;  grafting,  154  ; 
thinning  {illustrated),  266;  sum- 
mer pruning  {illustrated),  266,  293 ; 
silver  leaf,  280 ;  budding,  306  ; 
gathering,  318,  332,  339  ;  pruning 
large  trees  {illustrated).  333  ;  stor- 
ing' 369  ;  repotting  {illustrated), 
371 ;  on  north  walls,  387  ;  winter 
wash  for,  404 

Fuchsias,  starting  and  propagating, 
176  ;  stopping  {illustrated),  261  ; 
after  flowering,  376 


Gardening  year,  when  to  begin,  I 

Geraniums,  Zonal  and  Ivy-leaved, 
77  ;  for  winter,  304 ;  stopping 
{illustrated),  317 ;  for  bedding, 
351  ;  in  winter,  377  ;  select,  396 

Gladioli,  planting,  192  ;  staking  {il- 
lustrated), 304 ;  lifting  {illustrated), 
.359  . 

Gloxinias  from  seed,  24  ;  from  tubers 
{illustrated),  24,  25 

Glory  of  the  Snow,  359 

Gooseberries,  pruning  {illustrated), 
35,  36;  select,  84;  caterpillars  on, 
279 ;  mildew  on,  279 ;  summer 
pruning,  293,  307 

Gourds  and  pumpkins,  159 

Grafting  fruit  trees,  154,  216 

Grapes,  early  indoor,  38,  104,  398  ; 
thinning  {illustrated),  256  ;  keep- 
.y^g.  332,  370;  Muscat,  339;  shank- 
ing. 370 

Greenhouses  and  conservatories, 
plants  for,  17  ;  span-roof  {illus- 
trated), 382  ;  lean-to,  383 ;  heating, 
383 


408 


INDEX 


Greens,    winter   (see   also   Borecole), 

282,  295 
Grevillea  robusta,  73 


H 


Heating  greenhouses  (illustrated), 
384 

Hedges,  pruning  (illustrated),  316  ; 
planting  (illustrated),  402 

Herbaceous  borders,  1 10  ;  colour 
schemes  for,  112;  grouping  plants 
(illustrated),  114;  annuals  in,  1 16; 
select  plants  for,  117,  177;  plants 
from  seed,  230;  staking  (illustrated), 
262  ;  in  autumn,  377 

Herbs,  159 

Hoeing,  259 

Hollyhocks,  67 

Horse  radish,  194 

Hotbeds,  142 

Hyacinths,  in  glasses,  94 ;  (illus- 
trated), 377  ;  Roman  (illustrated), 
292,  316  ;  early,  337  ;  select,  362 

Hydrangeas,  96,  215 


India-rubber  plants,  190 
Insects  in  plant  houses,  152 
Irises,  Japanese,  94  ;  select,  363 


Kohl  Rabi,  160 


Lawns,  new,  51 ;  laying  turf  (illus- 
trated), 53  ;  sowing,  175  ;  improv- 
ing, 225 ;  patching  (illustrated), 
228 

Leeks,  160,  259,  321 

Lenten  roses,  205,  338 

Lettuces,  160,  312 

Liliums,  potting  (illustrated),  72  ;  in 
bloom,  303;  for  pots,  351  ;  select, 
364 

Lily  of  the  valley,  364 ;  forcing 
(illustrated),  365 

Lobelias,  blue,  propagating  (illus- 
trated), 26 

Loganberry,  the,  388 


Manuring,  399 

Marguerites,  leaves  affected,  277 

Melons,  105,  185,  206,  216,  339 

Mint,  194 

Montbretias,  368 

Mushrooms  (illustrated),  90,  281 

Mustard  and  cress,  161 

N 

Narcissi  (see  also  Daffodils),  in  pots 

and  boxes  (illustrated),  316 
Nuts,  pruning,  135 


Onions,  61,  106,  139,  161,  164,  194, 

260,  281,  296,  334 
Orchids,  98;  porting  (illustrated),  lOI 


Pansies  from  cuttings  (illustrated), 
352 

Parsnips,  160 

Paths,  forming  (illustrated),  44 

Peaches  and  Nectarines,  pruning 
(illustrated),  32,  33,  36,  308 ; 
blister  on,  87  ;  select,  88  ;  outdoor, 
88 ;  disbudding  (illustrated),  137, 
206  ;  thinning  (illustrated),  257  ; 
tying  (illustrated),  308 

Pears,  37,  83,  318 

Peas,  green,  60,  138,  162 

Pelargoniums,  278,  316 

Pentstemons,  352;  striking  cuttings 
(illustrated),  353 

Petunias,  70 

Pinching  plants,  188 

Pinks,  Indian,  69;  propagating  white, 
286,  330 

Plums,  38,  83 

Poinsettias,  189,  338 

Potatoes,  early,  61,  282  ;  in  boxes, 
91;  planting,  141,  163;  earthing, 
217;  diseased  (illustrated),  294; 
lifting,  321  ;  second  growth,  334 

Primulas,  202,  276,  315 

Privet  hedges,  265 

Propagator  (illustrated),  24 

Pruning  fruit  trees,  27 ;  roots  (illus- 
trated), 31 


409 


2  D 


INDEX 


Radishes,  163 

Ranunculuses,  79 

Raspberries,  select,  85  ;  pruning 
{illustrated),  318,  319 

Rhododendrons,  396 

Rhubarb,  57,  163 

Rock  plants,  145-151 

Rooms,  plants  for,  49,  190 

Roses,  in  pots,  45,  371;  pruning 
{illustrated),  46,  122,  124 ;  Mare- 
chal  Niel  {illustrated),  75  ;  plant- 
ing, 121,  378,  {illustrated)  169; 
pruning  climbers,  122,  {illustrated) 
171 ;  for  beds,  125  ;  for  climbing, 
127  ;  pruning  dwarf  {illustrated), 
170;  disbudding,  214;  maggots, 
214;  disbudding  (tVA^j/rai'^^),  263  ; 
mildew  on,  278  ;  budding  {illus- 
trated), 284,  285  ;  striking  cuttings, 
(illustrated),  331  ;  protecting,  378 


Salads,  140 

Salsify  and  scorzonera,  164 

Scarlet  runners,  207,  217,  310 

Schizanthuses,  306 

Scillas,  365 

Seakale,    forcing     {illustrated),    40 ; 

planting,  164 
Seedlings,  care  of,  23;  watering  {illus- 
trated), 23 
Seeds,  catalogues  and   selections  of, 

4 ;  sowing  small  {illustrated),  22 ; 

saving,  274 
Shallots,  106,  164 
Shrubs,  78  ;  for  walls    80 ;  pruning, 

265 ;    planting    {illustrated),   379  ; 

selections  of,  380 
Slugs,  129 
Snapdragons,  352 
Snowdrops,  365 
Snowflakes,  366 
Soil,    potting,    25  ;     improving    by 

trenching  {illustrated),  43 
Solanums,  203,  338 


Spinach,  312,  335 

Staking  plants,  189 

Stocks  for  pots,  71 

Strawberries,  planting,  85;  select, 
86  ;  forcing,  137 ;  mulching  and 
netting,  257 ;  propagating  {illus- 
trated), 293  ;  repotting  {illustrated), 
309 

Streptocarpuses,  73 

Sweet  peas,  16,  49,  174,  275,  369 


Tomatoes,  early,  60;  young,  139; 
repotting,  165  ;  pruning  {illus- 
trated), 282  ;  diseased,  295  ;  de- 
foliating, 313, 335 

Trees,  planting,  379;  selections  of, 
381 

Tulips,  forcing,  331 ;  select,  367 

Turf,  laying  {illustrated),  53 

Turnips,  139,  165,  268,  341 


Vegetable  marrows,  165,  268 

Vegetables,  standard  varieties  of,  6 ; 
for  suburban  gardens,  7  ;  for  villa 
gardens,  8;  storing  roots  {illus- 
trated), 356 

Verbenas,  67 

Vines  {see  also  Grapes),  amateurs',  39; 
early,  135;  .stopping  {illustrated), 
136  ;  red  spider  on,  267  ;  pruning, 
308,  354,  {illustrated)  397;  new 
rods  {illustrated),  398 

Violas,  129,  278,  352 

Violets,  sweet,  130,  339;  in  frames 
for  winter  {illustrated),  354 


W 

Wallflowers,  292 
Water  lilies,  202 
Window  gardening  2CX),  277 
Wireworm,  128 


Printed  by  Ballantyne,  Hanson  &=  Co. 
Edinburgh  c&^  London 


-^."I'S. 


